SYLVIA AND CHARLES VIERTEL CHARITABLE FOUNDATION MARKS 30 YEARS MILESTONE IN FUNDING RESEARCH New Fellowships to researchers in cancer metastasis, epigenomics and AI in early disease diagnosis & management
With
Associate Professor Paul Ekert, Co-Chair,
Medical Advisory Board, Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation
SEGMENT
Filmed in Sydney, Melbourne & Adelaide | December 2025
One of Australia’s largest charitable foundations, the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation, is celebrating three decades of transforming Australian healthcare – with more than $90 million invested in medical research and a legacy of breakthroughs that are saving lives. Viertel Fellowships support some of Australia’s best and brightest researchers and clinicians, with 70 Fellowships awarded to date.
In late October 2025, the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation, in association with Bellberry, announced the recipients of the 2025 Viertel Senior Medical Research Fellowships. Three Australian mid-career researchers who are advancing solutions for major illnesses including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative diseases. The 2025 Viertel Senior Medical Research Fellows, who will each receive $1.375 million over five years to support their work, are:
- Dr Joanna Achinger-Kawecka, SAiGENCI for her work in advancing cancer therapy utilising innovative 3D chromatin structure mapping technology.
- Dr Dustin Flanagan, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, for addressing the impact of direct cell damage on gastric cancer initiation and progression.
- Associate Professor Zongyuan Ge, Monash AIM for Health Lab, Monash University for developing a personalised healthcare model integrating diverse patient information collected over time via AI. He is the recipient of a Bellberry-Viertel Senior Medical Research Fellowship.
The Viertel Foundation over 30 years has had significant impact in medical research, including
- Awarding 70 fellowships since 1995, each currently providing $1.375 million over five years to support Australia’s top mid-career researchers.
- 162 Clinical Investigator Awards providing $90,000 over one year have been granted, supporting early-career clinicians and stimulating clinical research across Australia.
- Research infrastructure grants totalling $2.45 million have been awarded, recognising the importance of establishing and maintaining the facilities required for world-class research environments.
- The combined total value of the Clinical Investigator Awards, the Fellowships, and infrastructure grants – including the most recent awards has reached $90,001,250. This substantial investment underscores the Foundation’s enduring commitment to advancing medical research and improving health outcomes for Australians.
- Funding has enabled breakthroughs in cancer, infectious diseases, respiratory illnesses, dementia, stem cell research, and more – directly impacting millions of Australians each year.
Source: Adapted from Equity Trustees media release
Photo Credit: Charles Viertel Photo, Queensland Eye Institute
Photo Credit: AAHMS Gala Dinner, Canberra November 2025, Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences
-
Nursing Now Australia Launches
The evening of Tuesday 9th April saw the launch of Nursing Now Australia in Sydney, with Lord Nigel Crisp, Co-Chair of Nursing Now.
Professor Christine Duffield FACN, President of Australian College of Nursing welcomed the start of the campaign and explained the relevance to Australian Nurses.
-
Understanding factors of persistent lower back pain in women
Lizzy Quinn is a Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist with 20 years experience focusing on people with spinal pain. Australian Health Journal spoke with Lizzy on the complexities of persistent lower back pain in women.
Lower back pain in women in their 30s, 40s, and 50s is complex to treat due to the combination of physical and emotional factors, and health professionals need to stay updated on best practices and science to provide the best recovery platform for patients. These women typically have busy lives, pressures, and expectations.
-
Values in Workplace Culture
Professor Sabe Sabesan, is the Clinical Dean of the Townsville Regional Medical Training network incorporating the Townsville Hospital and Health Services and the Townsville Clinical School of the James Cook University and the director of the department of Medical oncology at the Townsville Cancer Centre, Townsville Hospital.
The Professor recently wrote, “Workforce wellness and engagement have become buzzwords in healthcare settings since there is an intimate relationship between staff wellbeing and performance of the healthcare system. Wellness initiatives such as wellness champions and wellness committees have been set up in response to emerging workforce mental health issues. These are largely reactive rather than being proactive in addressing or preventing the root cause of mental health issues.”
