Five new University of Melbourne Centres of Research Excellence funded by NHMRC

Hospitals and research institutes in the Melbourne biomedical precinct.
The Melbourne biomedical precinct, with many of the University of Melbourne's partners in hospitals and medical research institutes.

The National Health and Medical Research Council has awarded five new University of Melbourne Centres of Research Excellence (CREs) $15 million over five years, to undertake collaborative research to: restore wellbeing after sexual violence in adults, forecast future  epidemics, manage infections in cancer patients, better treat Lymphoedema and regulate the use of antibiotics for animal and human health.

University of Melbourne’s Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research), Professor Mark Cassidy, reiterated the purpose and importance of the CREs.

“Interdisciplinary collaborations like these Centres of Research Excellence are key to solving complex and systemic problems, from protecting our society from infectious diseases that threaten human and animal health, to enhancing healing and restoring wellbeing in cases of trauma as a result of sexual violence.”

The following University of Melbourne Chief Investigators have received funding for CREs:

  • Associate Professor Laura Tarzia, from the Department of General Practice, Melbourne Medical School, leading the RESTORE Centre of Research Excellence - Transforming health systems to restore wellbeing and enhance access to healing after sexual violence in adulthood.
  • Dr Freya Shearer, from the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health - Australian Centre for Epidemic Forecasting and Analytics.
  • Professor Monica Slavin, in The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology - CRE Transforming infection management in the era of emerging cancer therapies.
  • Professor Benjamin Hogan, in The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology - Centre of Research Excellence in Lymphoedema and Lymphatic Regeneration.
  • Professor Karin Thursky, in the Department of Infectious Diseases, Melbourne Medical School - CRE Redesign of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs in the Digital Era across One Health (RADAR – 1H).

Additionally, the following honorary University of Melbourne researchers have received funding for CREs at partner organisations:

  • Professor Seth Masters, WEHI (The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) - The Centre of Excellence in Autoinflammatory Disease Research.
  • Professor Carl Walkley, St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research - The Centre of Excellence for Nucleic Acid Sensing.
  • Professor Jeanie Cheong, Murdoch Children's Research Institute - The EPIC – Extremely Preterm Infant CRE.

These are among twenty new centres funded nationally through the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Centre of Research Excellence scheme to a total of $60 Million. The scheme supports researchers to pursue collaborative research that aims to improve health outcomes by translating health and medical research into policy and/or practice.

Details of all grants announced are available to download on NHMRC’s website.