Research Awards
Recipients of the ASMR Research Award 2025-2026
We are delighted to report that was a significant increase in the number of applications received for the ASMR Research Awards this year. We are delighted to announce that the successful applicants are:
Domestic: Dr Kanika Mehta, a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, whose research focuses on the intersection of diabetes and dementia. Dr Mehta will use this award to support a short-term research visit to the University of New South Wales.
International: Dr Sonia McAlister, Postdoctoral Researcher in the Vaccine Trials Group at the Kids Research Institute Australia in Perth. Dr McAlister’s research focuses on optimising vaccination strategies across the life course to ensure timely and effective protection against vaccine-preventable diseases, with a focus on pertussis. This award will support Dr McAlister’s travel to the European Plotkin Institute for Vaccinology in Belgium, where she will receive training in Systems Serology.
We will share further details of Drs Mehta and McAlister’s progress in the ASMR eBulletin in the coming months.
Awards at the 64th ASMR National Scientific Conference
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Dates: 6 and 7 November 2025
- Venue: The Stamford Plaza Hotel, Brisbane CBD
Great Awards for all career stages!
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- Two ASMR Communication Excellence Awards – each award consists of a $2,000 cash prize plus more. All orals by registrants from Hons up to three years post PhD will automatically be considered for this award, so submit your abstract by 5pm on Friday, 15 August 2025 to be in the running!
- Two Instats Skills Development Prizes – each award consists of a 12-month membership of the Instats global education platform worth $1,500. All orals by registrants from Hons up to three years post PhD will automatically be considered for this award, so submit your abstract by 5pm on Friday, 15 August 2025 to be in the running!
- The ASMR Peter Doherty Leading Light Award – open to health and medical researchers working in Australia who are between 5 and 12 years post-doctoral (with career interruptions as per NHMRC definition taken into account) – special application process, submit your abstract by 11:59pm AEST on Monday, 6 October 2025 , see below for further details.
ASMR Peter Doherty Leading Light Award
Named in recognition of Nobel Laureate, Professor Peter Doherty, whose scientific achievements and commitment to science advocacy continues to inspire the research community, this award celebrates the achievements of mid-career researchers (5 – 12 year post-doctoral) in Australia. The award will recognise a single piece of work undertaken by a mid-career researcher within the past 5 years (i.e., after 6 October, 2020).
Applications are open to health and medical researchers working in Australia who are between 5 and 12 years post-doctoral (with career interruptions as per NHMRC definition taken into account). As ASMR is a multidisciplinary Society, applications are encouraged from all areas of health and medical research (including but not limited to clinical, basic, public health, etc.). Verifiable outputs may include publications, policy, guidelines, reports, etc.
The winner will be required to give a presentation at the ASMR 64th National Scientific Conference in Brisbane on 6-7 Novmeber 2025. Attendance in person at the National Scientific Conference is a requirement for this award.
Application deadline is 11:59pm AEST on Monday, 6 October 2025.
Donate to the ASMR Research Fund – help build strength in Australia’s Health and Medical Research Sector
The Australian Society for Medical Research is the peak body representing and supporting Australian Health and Medical Researchers. Supporting and encouraging early career researchers is an essential element in building and maintaining the Health and Medical Research sector in Australia. In order to facilitate and promote learning and collaboration in early career researchers, the ASMR offers two Research Awards each year, enabling early career researchers to travel to another laboratory either within Australia (Domestic Research Award) or overseas (International Research Award) to learn new techniques and establish research collaborations.
These ASMR Research Awards are made possible by the generosity of ASMR members who make donations to the ASMR Research Fund. The ASMR Research Fund was established by ASMR in 1990 with the sole purpose of providing research awards to ASMR members, in particular early career members. Without the continued generosity of ASMR members, the ASMR would not be able to continue to build strength and expertise in Australian Health and Medical Researchers, via its support of early career researchers with the ASMR Research Awards.
If you would like to make a contribution to the ASMR Research Fund, and support the development of Australian Health and Medical Researchers, please click below. (note all donations to the ASMR Research Fund are tax deductible).