RESEARCH AUSTRALIA AWARDS CELEBRATE RESEARCHERS IN LIFE-CHANGING SCIENCE & DISCOVERY Australia’s health and medical research awards, now in their 22nd year
With
Professor Dawn Freshwater, Chair
Research Australia
Nadia Levin, CEO
Research Australia
SEGMENT
Filmed in Sydney | October 2026
For more than two decades, the Research Australia Health & Medical Research Awards have recognised the individuals and teams transforming health outcomes across the country. Now in their 22nd year, these prestigious awards showcase the depth and breadth of Australia’s research and innovation community — from discovery and translation through to commercialisation.
The awards shine a spotlight on the researchers, clinicians, philanthropists and advocates whose work improves lives, strengthens the health system and supports Australia’s global leadership in health and medical research.
This year’s combined 2025–26 awards brought together a field of nominees from across the country, reflecting the remarkable strength and diversity of Australia’s health and medical research community. The Award categories were
- Discovery Award
- Health Services Research Award
- Digital & Data Health Innovation Award
- Advocacy & Philanthropy Award
- Frontiers Award
Australian Health Journal spoke with the Research Australia Chair and CEO immediately following the Awards ceremony.
The winners were announced here https://researchaustralia.org/australias-health-and-medical-research-and-innovation-celebrated-at-research-australias-22nd-annual-awards/
Source: Adapted from Research Australia program for Awards
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Retaining a clinical perspective in macro level changes
Dr Shona Sundaraj BAppSc (Phty), MBBS, FRACGP, MBA is Group Medical Director at Medibank, bringing over two decades of clinical and systems experience to strategy, research and stakeholder engagement. She leads the Medibank Better Health Research Hub and Chairs the Health Research Governance Committee, guiding stakeholder engagement, competitive grant rounds and partnerships with universities, translational research centres and peak bodies to support evidence based improvement in care.
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Startup Advances Biosensing
Melbourne based Nutromics is looking to solve some of the biggest healthcare challenges, by delivering on a mission to revolutionise precision medicine with Continuous Molecular Monitoring (CMM). Nutromics is developing biosensor technology integrated into a small and unobtrusive wearable smart patch.The software solution aims to be flexible and designed to connect with mobile and web solutions for integration with consumer health software and hospital platforms.
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WA and QLD RSV Immunisation programs show drops in infant hospitalisations
RSV is the number one cause of hospitalisation of Australian children under five years of age, according to the Immunisation Foundation of Australia (IFA). There are mounting concerns that Australians at greatest risk of severe Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV will miss out on protection against the lung infection, with the Federal Government failing to commit to a national RSV immunisation program.
