Sydney researchers awarded over $48 million in NHMRC Investigator Grants

Funding awarded in 2023’s NHMRC Investigator Grants amounts to more than $48 million, a testament to the breadth of world-class research taking place at the University of Sydney.

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grants support the four pillars of health and medical research – biomedical, clinical, public health and health services research – and researchers at all career stages. The scheme is designed to allow flexibility to pursue important new research directions, to form collaborations, and to foster innovative and creative research.

Researchers at the University of Sydney have been granted more than $48 million over five years in the 2023 NHMRC Investigator Grants, funding 23 projects to help solve some of the world’s most pressing problems across the spectrum of health and medical research.

The projects awarded range from gender-informed prevention of mental health and substance use problems, to generating and testing falls and mobility impairment solutions, and using artificial intelligence to understand impaired sensory processing in autism.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Emma Johnston said,

“The success of our science, medicine and health researchers in the Investigator scheme demonstrates our outstanding capabilities across all four pillars of health and medical research. The diversity of research we undertake at Sydney to improve health outcomes for people everywhere really is impressive.

“Once again, this round of the scheme is characterised by the exceptionally strong performance of our female and early or mid-career colleagues, with 16 women, five associate professors and nine doctors receiving awards. It is also terrific to see that so many awardees are members of our multi- and interdisciplinary research centres. The Matilda Centre team deserves a particular mention, with four researchers receiving funding this round.

“I congratulate all our researchers on their success, and I am proud that we are building an interconnected health and medical research ecosystem where everybody can flourish.”

See below for highlights and a full list of the successful researchers.