National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)

First reported in Tanzania in 1952, chikungunya virus has spread to over 125 countries, and now more than a billion people live in chikungunya endemic areas. NHMRC-funded researchers as part of an international consortium have developed a vaccine against this disease, significant for stopping outbreaks and reducing disease severity. Want to learn more? Read our impact case study: a vaccine for chikungunya virus on our website: https://ow.ly/v0hc50TXGaQ

As a ‘sunburnt country’, Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world with 2 in 3 Australians diagnosed with the disease throughout their life. National Skin Cancer Action Week promotes the need to do more to promote sun protection and sun safe behaviours. In 2023, Dr David Whiteman from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute received an NHMRC Investigator Grant for his research into melanoma and skin cancer burden, prevention and control. Dr Whiteman’s research is focusing on building the evidence base needed to develop new approaches to prevent and control skin cancer. Now, we just need to remember to slip, slop, slap, seek and slide more often!

International Day of Persons with Disabilities provides us with an opportunity to promote community awareness, understanding and acceptance for the 5.5 million people with disability in Australia. Join us in ‘amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future’ as we host a live panel discussion as part of our Speaking of Science webinar series. We are delighted to be hosting leaders such as Professor Jackie Leach Scully, Adam Johnston and Yvonne Parnell as they share their stories of lived experiences and consumer advocacy of disability in the health and medical research sector. Date: Wed 4 Dec 2024 Time: 14:00 – 15:00 AEDT Where: Zoom- join via your chosen device. Register for the event via Eventbrite: https://ow.ly/BwQT50UcmSl

Fibrosis is a risk factor for cancer initiation, progression and prognosis that is commonly found in aggressive cancers, such as pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer begins when cells in the pancreas, a gland that sits deep within the abdomen between the stomach and spine, become abnormal and grow out of control to form a tumour. Dr David Herrmann from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research received an NHMRC Ideas Grant in 2023 to determine whether blocking a key enzyme improves pancreatic cancer treatment. Dr Herrmann’s research will test the hypothesis that reducing fibrosis enhances standard of care chemotherapy performance and improves outcomes in pre-clinical models of pancreatic cancer.

An estimated 638,000 Australians live with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a major cause of premature lung and heart related deaths. Yet we still don’t know how to best detect COPD in younger adults when it’s in its first stages of development. As a recipient of an NHMRC Investigator Grant in 2023, Dr Jennifer Perret from the University of Melbourne, is aiming to find ways to detect and prevent lung and heart diseases related to COPD at a young age. Dr Perret’s program will address key gaps in understanding early onset COPD, advance its detection in young adults, and determine how to reduce risks for those who also have heart disease. This research will inform interventions and drug trials to prevent and better treat COPD.

Do you want to be the voice of Australia’s leading expert body in health and medical research? Are you proactive, detail-oriented, and comfortable working independently or as part of a dynamic team? NHMRC is seeking a motivated and creative Communications Officer (APS5) to support external and internal messaging. In this role you will support a dynamic team in managing social media content, newsletters, web updates, and event support. Applications close 11:30 PM AEDT Thursday 28 November 2024. Take the next step today and apply on our Careers page: https://ow.ly/B7Po50U8LIM

“NHMRC’s mission to engage with collaborative research and our global partners fosters Australian participation in international networks and collaborative health and medical research” said NHMRC CEO Professor Steve Wesselingh, welcoming the NHMRC-JPIAMR 2024 funding outcomes. Australian researchers will share in over $3 million to tackle global antimicrobial resistance through JPIAMR’s 2024 transnational call on ‘Interventions Moving forward to promote ACTion to counteract the emergence and spread of bacterial and fungal resistance and to improve treatments’’. Research funded is aiming to improve, compare and evaluate the effectiveness, cost effectiveness, and uptake of existing interventions against bacterial or fungal infections and/or to design new interventions. Read more on these outcomes in our media release on NHMRC’s website: https://ow.ly/MEJ450U7AgP

Are you an experienced and high performing graphic designer? Do you have a knack for creativity, digital content, web publishing and design? NHMRC is looking for a Design Specialist (APS6) to join our dynamic team on a part time non-ongoing basis. In this role, you will support digital communications, manage design projects, and ensure web accessibility and consistency with agency branding. Applications close 11:30 PM AEDT Thursday 28 November 2024. Interested? More information and the position description are available on our Careers page: https://ow.ly/Ze6v50U8LHo

Tracker is out now! Get the latest on upcoming funding opportunities for researchers. In this edition, read about the upcoming Speaking of Science webinar, NHMRC’s Biennial Awards, forecast grant opportunities and much more! Head to our website: https://lnkd.in/g5GWyvaM

NHMRC is joining organisations, families and communities across Australia to mark Perinatal Mental Health Week. This week provides the opportunity to improve our understanding of the mental health challenges faced in conception, pregnancy and early parenthood. Most perinatal research focusses on short term maternal and neonatal outcomes. As a result, little is known about the long-term implications, for mothers and children, of exposure to different events or treatments during pregnancy. The University of Melbourne researcher, Dr Anthea Lindquist’s 2023 Investigator Grant project proposes linking large population wide datasets together to examine the health and wellbeing of mothers and their babies from conception, through to pregnancy and right through into a child's school years.