Senior Medical Research Fellowship
The Foundation’s Senior Medical Research Fellowship (SMRF’s) is intended to be amongst the most prestigious awards available to those who wish to continue a career in medical research in Australia. The fellowship is a 5 year initiative valued at $275,000 per annum. In any given year there can be up to two SMRF’s granted.
The Fellowship is an integral part of a scheme that is intended to provide both salary and project grant support for outstanding Australian medical researchers. The total value of the award is $1,375,000.
Outstanding researchers who are medically qualified, or graduates of another scientific discipline with recognised post-doctoral achievements, seeking to establish a research career in Australia and undertake research in an Australia academic institution are eligible to apply whether or not they are currently working in Australia. Application will be judged on the basis of merit and excellence in competition with other applications.
Please click here for past Alumni details
Current recipients of the SMRF’s
2024
Dr Rhea Longley
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
Developing effective surveillance of malaria.
Dr Luke Isbel
SAiGENCI – University of Adelaide
Addressing and unlocking new cancer treatments.
Dr Mark Doerflinger
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
Revolutionising treatment for lung infections (Bellberry-Viertel Fellow for 2024)
2023
A/Prof Daniel Pellici
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Harnessing the therapeutic potential of unconventional T cells to prevent infectious diseases.
Dr Jennifer Juno
University of Melbourne
Improving vaccine efficacy by maximising T cell help.
Dr Simon Foster (Bellberry Fellow)
QIMR Berghofer
New cardiovascular therapeutics targeting fibrosis.
2022
Dr Jaclyn Pearson
Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash University
Beating the Superbugs
A/Professor Robert Weatheritt (Bellberry Fellow)
Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Exploiting P-Bodies for cancer treatment
Dr Jennifer Zenker
Monash University (Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute)
Harnessing the power of versatile cells
2021
Associate Professor Francine Marques
Monash University, School of Biological Sciences. Targeting the gut microbiota to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease
Mikaël Martino
Monash University, Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute. Harnessing the potential of immune cells to design the next generations of regenerative strategies)
James “Mac” Shine (Bellberry Fellow)
The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health.
Thinking Across Boundaries: Linking Scientific Disciplines to Transform Our Understanding of the Human Brain
2020
Dr Jana Vukovic
The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences
and Queensland Brain Institute. Unravelling the molecular mechanisms that underpin the beneficial effects of repopulating microglia on neuronal survival and cognition following brain injury
Associate Professor Chen Davidovich
Monash University, Cancer Program. Context-specific regulation of the histone methyltransferase polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2)
Dr Michelle Halls
Monash University, Drug Discovery Biology Theme.
GPCR interaction-networks and signalling in health and disease.
2019
Professor Andrew Steer
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Infection and Immunity Theme.
Public health interventions for control of tropical infections
Dr Tracey Putoczki
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Untangling the role of cytokines in cancer progression
Dr Richard Berry
Monash University, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
How viruses and tumours escape cellular immunity
Past recipients of the Senior Medical Research Fellowship can be found in the Alumni section.