Posted: 16 February 2022
Closing: 20 May 2022
The National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation (NFMRI) is pleased to offer the Dr John Dixon Hughes Medal for Medical Research Innovation every two years to a researcher under the age of 45 for outstanding contribution towards the development and advancement of a biomedical innovation related to the nature, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and incidence of disease and other health problems that have a significant impact on the health of humans.
About the Award
The Award is named after longest-standing Director and former Chairman of the Research Advisory Committee, Dr John Dixon Hughes OAM, who was a founding member of the Foundation in 1977. Dr Dixon Hughes OAM, an astute consultant general surgeon with over 55 years experience, remains an active, dedicated and passionate board member to this day and is an avid believer in the potential for philanthropy to support and advance innovation.
The medal will be awarded with a prize of $50,000. The prize will be in the form of a grant to support the research activities of the recipient. Nominations will be called for every other year and are treated as commercial-in-confidence.
The medal will be awarded to the researcher judged to be responsible for the best biomedical innovation and development paper published, patent taken out, or commercial-in-confidence report in the previous two calendar years. Innovations will include Australian research and discoveries into new medicines, vaccines, biologicals, devices, tools or diagnostics.
Judging and Selection
The Directors of the Foundation will judge the award with support from the Research Advisory Committee.
Demonstrable translation of research is a prerequisite for consideration.
The award may be shared if the judges agree that more than one applicant is equally worthy of the award. If no suitable applications are deemed worthy of the award, the Foundation may elect not to offer the award in any particular year.
Nominations should include:
- A completed nomination form,
- A cover letter signed by the nominator outlining:
- Importance of the innovation;
- Role of the researcher and evidence of involvement with the innovation;
- Progress towards translation and/or commercialisation; and
- A short non-confidential disclosure of the innovation (the type suitable for industry/investor review).
- Evidence of translation and progress. This may include media, IP and partner/investor/company information, letters and links to websites.
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Open links to published published papers with the recipient as lead author associated with the innovation. If the relevant publications are not available online, please attach a copy with the nomination; and
- Two written referees reports.
Please click here to download a nomination form
Nominations, together with supporting documentation from the candidate, should be submitted via this link. Submissions sent by email may not be considered.
Self-nominations are not accepted. The nominee must be under the age of 45 as at 1 October 2022. Nominations must be for an individual rather than a team.
The deadline for the next round of nominations will close at 6pm AEST on Friday, 20 May 2022.
