SIGNIFICANT FUNDING ANNOUNCED FOR NSW RESEARCHERS Garvan, UNSW Sydney, University of Sydney researchers receive 8 year Snow Foundation Fellowships

SEGMENT
Filmed in Sydney | April 2026

The Snow Medical Research Foundation (Snow Medical) has announced a new $24 million investment in three outstanding Australian biomedical researchers through its prestigious Snow Fellowships.

The fellowships will support Dr Deborah Burnett from UNSW, Associate Professor Sudarshini Ramanathan from the University of Sydney, and Dr Ira Deveson from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research.

These Fellows will tackle major global health challenges spanning autoimmune disease, neurological disorders, and genetic disease. Their work addresses conditions that disproportionately affect vulnerable and underserved populations, including First Nations communities, while advancing precision medicine and translational care. Collectively, their research aims to deliver safer vaccines, better diagnostics, and more equitable genomic and neurological healthcare.

The investment further strengthens New South Wales as a global hub for biomedical research, bringing Snow Medical’s total investment in the state to $128 million, with $89.5 million committed in the past year alone.

Each Snow Medical Fellowship provides $8 million over eight years, enabling exceptional scientists to pursue ambitious long-term research programs, build world-class teams, and tackle complex scientific challenges.

Chair of Snow Medical Research Foundation, Tom Snow, said the fellowships reflect the Snow family’s commitment to backing bold scientific ideas and supporting outstanding young researchers and clinicians.

Snow Fellows receive active scientific and leadership mentoring during their fellowship, including executive and team coaching and a strategic development program. The program builds Fellows’ management and leadership skills and instils a strategic and entrepreneurial mindset.

BACKGROUNDS TO THE THREE SNOW FELLOWS FOR 2026

Dr Deborah Burnett – UNSW
Dr Deborah Burnett is an immunology researcher working to improve vaccine effectiveness against infections that can trigger autoimmune disease.

Associate Professor Sudarshini Ramanathan – University of Sydney
Associate Professor Sudarshini Ramanathan is a neurologist and clinician scientist whose work focuses on autoimmune neurological disorders. Her research has helped identify new neurological syndromes and improve diagnostic tools and treatments for patients with autoimmune diseases affecting the brain, spinal cord, muscles and nerves. Her work aims to reverse disabilities in these patients through the use of targeted therapies.

Dr Ira Deveson – Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Dr Ira Deveson is a genomics researcher whose work focuses on developing and applying advanced genomic sequencing technologies to better understand human genetic diversity and improve diagnosis and treatment of inherited disease. His program is helping unravel the genetic diversity of Australia’s Indigenous populations to ensure equity in genomic medicine.

Source: Adapted from Snow Medical Research Foundation news story