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Impact Case Studies
NHMRC produces Impact Case Studies to demonstrate its contribution to raising the standard of individual and public health throughout Australia.
Personalised immunology
In Australia, approximately 1.2 million people are affected by an immune-system disease. For a majority of these diseases, women are three times more likely to be afflicted than are men. As a group, immune-system diseases are the third leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the industrialised world, surpassed only by cancer and heart diseases.
Reducing speed, improving safety: Case Study
Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally and road crashes have a considerable cost for the community, including for families trying to cope with the death or disability of a family member involved in a road crash.
Helping GPs care for our mental health: Case Study
Frontline care for people experiencing mental health conditions is usually provided by general practitioners (GPs). These conditions – whose total cost to society has been estimated at $10.9 billion per year1 – impact on a person’s physical, social and financial wellbeing, work productivity and more, and when work-related they are particularly complex and challenging to manage.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s oral health: Case Study
Tooth decay (caries) remains one of the most common health problems for both adults and children in Australia. Collaborative research in oral health is delivering improved basic health outcomes to the most disadvantaged Australians, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Medical ultrasound: Case Study
Today we take for granted the use of ultrasound for medical examination and diagnosis, but in the 1950s ultrasound was still an emerging technology. NHMRC supported ultrasound research in Australia from its early beginnings, and one of the first ultrasound scanners was developed by NHMRC-funded researchers.
Health and national food standards: Case Study
Access to safe and nutritious food is key to sustaining life and promoting good health. Unsafe food – containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances – can cause more than 200 different diseases, ranging from diarrhoea to cancers.
Rubella and pregnancy: Case Study
In 1940, Australia experienced an epidemic of rubella: a contagious, viral illness also known as German measles. The following year, an ophthalmologist working in Sydney observed that babies he was treating for an unusual type of congenital cataract had been born to mothers who had contracted rubella early on in their pregnancies.
Folate and healthy babies: Case Study
In 1989, Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley published the results of a case-control study demonstrating the role of maternal dietary folate in reducing the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) such as spina bifida. The data for this study came from what is now known as the Western Australian Register of Developmental Anomalies (WARDA) which was established in 1980.
Improving Health Outcomes in the Tropical North: Case Study
Tropical medicine and healthcare services are a key pillar enabling more Australians to live and work in northern Australia, and thereby expand the north’s economic contribution to Australia.
Ideas Grants 2020 Outcomes: Factsheet
The Ideas Grants 2020 Outcomes Factsheet provides a quick reference point to key statistics on the outcomes of the 2020 Ideas Grant round.
Australian antivenom saving lives: Case Study
Snakebite causes suffering, disability and premature death around the world. Globally, almost 7,400 people are bitten by snakes every day, leading to about 2.7 million cases of envenoming (venom poisoning) and 81,000–138,000 deaths each year.
Autism Assessment and Diagnosis Guideline: Case Study
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), also simply termed autism, is a persistent developmental disorder characterised by symptoms evident from early childhood. These symptoms can range from mild to severe and include difficulty in social interaction, restricted or repetitive patterns of behaviour, and communication challenges.
Tuberculosis control in the South-East Asian region: Case Study
While progress has been made globally in reducing the impact of tuberculosis (TB), and while Australia has achieved a TB rate among the lowest reported, the South-East Asian region remains a global TB ‘hot spot’. Australia is well placed to help countries in our region deal with TB as we have world-class domestic systems for disease surveillance and control in human and animal health, and a strong track record of cooperation with countries in the region, including on primary health care. Research by a number of Australian research institutions has contributed to regional improvements to TB detection, prevention and treatment, and has demonstrated the possibility of the rapid reduction in TB prevalence within neighbouring countries.
Mothers’ and their Children’s Health (MatCH) Case Study
MatCH is one of five cohort studies embedded in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH— also known as Women's Health Australia). MatCH is increasing our understanding of the intergenerational determinants of child health and development in Australia, and MatCH data are providing an unprecedented opportunity to investigate preconception and life course determinants of child health outcomes. ALSWH is a national research resource providing an evidence base to assist policy makers to develop and evaluate policy and practice in service delivery areas affecting women.
Women’s Reproductive Health (InterLACE): Case Study
The International collaboration for a Life course Approach to reproductive health and Chronic disease Events (InterLACE) is an international research collaboration on women’s reproductive health that includes the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH) as a core dataset. InterLACE has provided detailed and robust evidence on reproductive characteristics and disease risk factors across global populations, and is contributing to preventive strategies and targeted approaches to women’s health.
History of tuberculosis control in Australia
While Australia now has one of the lowest tuberculosis (TB) incidence rates in the world, TB was once a leading cause of death in Australia and was a focus for public health policy during the first half of the 20th century.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Public health case study
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a lifelong condition characterised by severe neurodevelopmental impairments (with/without physical impairments) that results from prenatal alcohol exposure.
Culturally safe advice on alcohol cessation in pregnancy
Drinking alcohol in pregnancy can harm the unborn child and may cause a range of neurodevelopmental disorders including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).1
Early diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Indigenous children
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is caused by prenatal alcohol exposure and is characterised by severe neurodevelopmental impairment, that may include intellectual disability, behavioural and other developmental problems.1,2 FASD causes a significant burden to individuals, the health care, education, and justice systems and society.1,2
Evidence-practice policy gap (EPPG)
An evidence-practice/policy gap is the difference between what is known from the best available research evidence and what is practised in reality (through delivery of medical care or drafting of policies or guidelines).
Delivering family-centred care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged < 5 years
The first five years of a child’s life are a critical time period for influencing growth, development and learning.1
Influenza vaccination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults
Despite improvements in vaccine uptake in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, adults experience greater rates of influenza hospitalisation than non-Indigenous adults of the same age.
Severe Asthma: Mepolizumab Case Study
Severe asthma is a life threatening and global health problem affecting about 30 million people. Prevalence is increasing, as is the physical and financial burden of disability.
Neurodegenerative disease and metals
Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Motor Neurone and Parkinson’s disease affect millions of people around the world and place an enormous burden on the Australian healthcare system.
What are the Translation Centres doing and why?
NHMRC-accredited Research Translation Centres are leading centres of excellence and collaboration in health and medical research, research translation, research-infused education and training and outstanding health care.
Guidelines for producing NHMRC Case Studies
NHMRC seeks to maximise the reporting of impacts arising from the research that it funds and from its other activities, but it cannot undertake this impact reporting on its own.
SMARThealth
The George Institute for Global Health has developed the SMARThealth system, a low cost digital platform that supports clinical decision-making and improves the screening, detection and management of adults with chronic diseases. It uses guideline and evidence-based algorithms developed over 15 years of research and development and can be adapted for low and middle income countries.
Procedures for facilitating and dealing with public interest disclosures relating to NHMRC
The purpose of these procedures is to promote the integrity and accountability of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
Evidence-based management of otitis media in high risk populations.
Otitis media (OM) is a common and complex disease of childhood and refers to inflammation and/or infection of the middle ear. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have an increased risk of developing OM compared to their non-Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander counterparts. 1,2,3
NHMRC Research integrity and misconduct policy
The NHMRC Research Integrity and Misconduct Policy clarifies the role and responsibilities of NHMRC Administering Institutions about notifying NHMRC of research integrity matters and describes how NHMRC responds to such matters.
The TRIUMPH study
Globally, more than one billion people suffer from high blood pressure. The George Institute for Global Health (TGI) has trialled a new low-dose pill for hypertension that combines three medications in one (Triple Pill), which could change the way high blood pressure is treated around the world.
Pharmaxis
Pharmaxis Ltd is an Australian pharmaceutical research company established in 1998. It listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in 2003. The business focuses on new therapies to treat inflammation and fibrosis with a portfolio of products at various stages of development and approval. With origins in clinical research, this Australian-owned start up successfully competes in an international market.
Aridol® and Bronchitol®
Mannitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol from the sap of the manna ash tree that can be produced as a dry powder. In the 1990s, Dr Sandra Anderson and colleagues at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) began research into how inhaled mannitol can be used to diagnose asthma. This work resulted in the development of two new pharmaceutical products, Aridol® and Bronchitol®.
Picato® gel
Picato® is a prescription gel that treats skin actinic keratosis (potentially pre-cancerous sunspots). The journey to develop this product began in the 1970s when Queensland researcher, Jim Aylward, became interested in a local farming story about the healing properties of the sap of the radium weed Euphorbia peplus (E. peplus) when applied to sunspots on the skin.
Fraud control framework 2020-22
NHMRC refuses to tolerate fraud and has a commitment to high ethical, moral and legal standards.
Ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities
Ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities: Guidelines for researchers and stakeholders provides a set of principles to ensure research is safe, respectful, responsible, high quality and of benefit to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
Keeping research on track II
Keeping research on track II was developed to provide advice on how the values and principles outlined in Ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities: Guidelines for researchers and stakeholders can be put into practice in research.
Rescinded guidelines
Our rescinded guidelines are stored for historical purposes on the Australian Government Web Archive (AGWA). Below are the links to many of these. This list may not be fully comprehensive but is current at December 2017.
Guide to evaluating industry-relevant experience
A guide for peer reviewers when evaluating industry-relevant skills, experience and achievements in its assessment of applicants’ track records.
Promoting social and emotional development and wellbeing of infants in pregnancy and the first year of life
This report Promoting social and emotional development and wellbeing of infants in pregnancy and the first year of life: a NHMRC report on the evidence summarises findings of the evaluation of evidence on the effectiveness of interventions delivered in pregnancy or the first postpartum year.
Work health and safety requirements for contractors and suppliers
In providing a safe and healthy workplace, we provide an environment in which we can all effectively contribute to achieving community and business outcomes.
Training and Quality Assurance activities in ART clinics
When working with research that involves human embryos created by assisted reproductive technology (ART), it can be difficult to determine if a licence is required for training and quality assurance activities. The attached documents provide information and helpful links to help identify legislative requirements.
Australian standard research classifications and research keywords
The NHMRC uses a number of research classification systems to categorise research applications and assessors’ expertise including Fields of Research, Broad Research Area, Research Keywords and Burden of Disease.
RGMS training program
The Research Grant Management System (RGMS) training program aims to support researchers and administering institutions use the program. Training is structured around each stage of the NHMRC grant process, and covers the application, assessment, grant selection and monitoring stages.
Commissioner of Complaints
The functions of the Commissioner are to investigate complaints regarding action/s by the Chief Executive Officer of the NHMRC or NHMRC Research Committee in relation to a funding application.
Reconciliation action plan 2016-2018
Our commitment to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples covers all aspects of NHMRC’s responsibilities, as well as contributing to the Australian Government’s Close the Gap initiatives.
Open Access Policy
The NHMRC Open Access Policy is consistent with the Australian Government’s commitment to open access, open data and intellectual property (IP) management.
Workplace diversity program
At NHMRC, we aim to create a workplace which supports all staff, regardless of their gender, age, cultural/religious background, sexual orientation or personal attributes. We want NHMRC to be a flexible and fair work environment, in which staff can flourish and where differences between employees are respected and viewed as an organisational asset.
CEO Statement: Electronic cigarettes
NHMRC is currently updating the 2017 CEO Statement: Electronic Cigarettes. NHMRC has established the Electronic Cigarettes Working Committee to advise on the update of the Statement.
In the interim, this Statement remains current.
Strategic Workforce Plan 2016-2019
This plan identifies the workforce capability required by NHMRC to meet its objectives, now and into the future.