Our impact

From delivering life-changing research to building research excellence in regional Australia, the growth of Hunter Medical Research Institute is driving positive health outcomes for our communities.

Our impact

From delivering life-changing research to building research excellence in regional Australia, the growth of Hunter Medical Research Institute is driving positive health outcomes for our communities.

Stronger together

Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) exists to transform the health and wellbeing of our communities. Since the very beginning, our partnership with the community, the University of Newcastle and Hunter New England Local Health District has been a key strength.

Our commitment to collaboration enables us to turn scientific breakthroughs in the lab into real-world changes in hospitals, policy and the lives of our communities. Each milestone we reach together contributes towards stronger, more efficient, and accessible healthcare systems.

In more than two decades, weโ€™ve become the largest medical research institute in regional Australia. Together, weโ€™ve proven that research excellence has a home in the Hunter New England region.

Copy of icon researchers staff students

1700+

RESEARCHERS, STAFF AND STUDENTS

Copy of icon million people in community

1 MILLION

COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Funding

$55 MILLION

IN NATIONALLY COMPETITIVE RESEARCH FUNDING AWARDED IN 2023

Research results

1300+

GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH PROJECTS

Copy of icon research programs

19

RESEARCH PROGRAMS

HMRI Icons

1100+

HMRI RESEARCHER-LED PUBLICATIONS IN 2023

Discover Local. Cure Global

Weโ€™re driving impact beyond our own backyard.
Weโ€™re growing our impact. Weโ€™re reaching those others canโ€™t.

Our region is a unique one. It houses a diverse population of almost one million people spread across urban, regional, and rural locations.

At HMRI, we are deeply connected to our communities. We listen, learn and connect, enabling us to embed real-world insights into our research.

Importantly, as our researchers discover what works locally, these insights can be applied to other places in NSW, Australia and the world to transform health and wellbeing right across the globe.

  • Daughters and Dads Active and EmpoweredUnited Kingdom, Austria, Australia
    Daughters and Dads Active and Empowered
    Locations: United Kingdom, Austria, Australia

    Daughters & Dads Active & Empowered is a world-first, evidence-based program that brings together fathers/father-figures & their primary school-aged daughters to promote physical activity, enhance sport skills, and boost wellbeing.

    The multi-award winning global program accelerates girl's physical competence and confidence, providing the foundation for long-term sport involvement and a healthy, active lifestyle.

    Empowering girls to be active and empowered

    3100+ participating daughters and dads
    380 educators trained
    30+ government and sporting partnerships

  • FlutrackingNew Zealand, Hong Kong, Argentina, Australia
    Flutracking
    Locations: New Zealand, Hong Kong, Argentina, Australia

    FluTracking, the highly successful online health surveillance system that helps detect epidemics of influenza throughout Australia, has since expanded globally to track respiratory viruses and track potential signals of new pandemics all around the world.

    Discovering ways to protect our community from viruses

    140,000+ Flutrackers every week
    23 million surveys
    17 year program

  • Improving maternal mortality in rural NepalNepal
    Improving maternal mortality in rural Nepal
    Locations: Nepal

    An innovative helicopter retrieval project is helping rurally-based pregnant women in Nepal deliver their babies safely and healthily. In Nepal, it's estimated that 1 in 338 pregnancies results in the mother dying. This project helps airlift women experiencing an obstetric emergency transporting them to a safe, well-equipped hospital to safely deliver their babies.

    Saving lives of Nepalese women and babies

    600+ Women safely evacuated
    0 deaths during transportation
    36 rural villages

  • SHiNE: Preventing cervical cancer in GhanaGhana
    SHiNE: Preventing cervical cancer in Ghana
    Locations: Ghana

    The SHiNe project involved developing a nurse-led educational toolkit for school students in Ghana with the end goal of preventing cervical cancer.

    The resources aim to help female students in Ghana understand cervical cancer risk factors, prevention strategies, and improve their attitude towards these preventative strategies and activities.

Our region is a unique one. It houses a diverse population of almost one million people spread across urban, regional, and rural locations.

At HMRI, we are deeply connected to our communities. We listen, learn and connect, enabling us to embed real-world insights into our research.

Importantly, as our researchers discover what works locally, these insights can be applied to other places in NSW, Australia and the world to transform health and wellbeing right across the globe.

Research Programs

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Case Studies

HMRI unites world-class researchers from the University of Newcastle, clinicians and healthcare experts from Hunter New England Local Health District, and community insights to drive innovative medical research and improve health outcomes.

Together, we’re taking healthy further.

For people living with stroke, the opportunity to exercise, socialise, dance and make art not only helps rebuild speech, motor skills and fitness โ€” itโ€™s also a fun way to boost connections and confidence in a supported setting. The ESTEEM program is doing just that.
CaseStudyIcons participants

70+โ€‹

STROKE SURVIVORS HAVE PARTICIPATED โ€‹

calendar

10โ€‹

WEEK PROGRAM

location

2

LOCATIONS ACROSS REGIONAL NSW

70+โ€‹

STROKE SURVIVORS HAVE PARTICIPATED โ€‹

10โ€‹

WEEK PROGRAM

2

LOCATIONS ACROSS REGIONAL NSW

The Diabetes Alliance Program Plus (DAP+) is a proven diabetes care model helping improve the prevention, detection, treatment, and self-management of diabetes in rural and regional communities.
CaseStudyIcons participants

4000+

PATIENTS HELPED

CaseStudyIcons Doctor

800+

HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ARE ROLLING OUT DAP+

CaseStudyIcons aboriginal

96

PATIENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IDENTIFY AS INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS

4000+

PATIENTS HELPED

800+

HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ARE ROLLING OUT DAP+

96

PATIENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IDENTIFY AS INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS

Daughters & Dads Active & Empowered is a world-first, evidence-based program that brings together fathers/father-figures & their primary school-aged daughters to promote physical activity, enhance sport skills, and boost wellbeing.ย 
CaseStudyIcons participants

3100+

PARTICIPATING DADS AND DAUGHTERS

CaseStudyIcons education

380

EDUCATORS TRAINED

partnership

30

GOVERNMENT AND SPORTING PARTNERSHIPS

3100+

PARTICIPATING DADS AND DAUGHTERS

380

EDUCATORS TRAINED

30

GOVERNMENT AND SPORTING PARTNERSHIPS

Burn 2 Learn is a world first school-based physical activity HIIT program, improving fitness, wellbeing and enhancing academic achievement of high school students.ย 
CaseStudyIcons participants

18,000+

PARTICIPATING STUDENTS

CaseStudyIcons education

325

TEACHERS TRAINED

location

218

SCHOOLS

18,000+

PARTICIPATING STUDENTS

325

TEACHERS TRAINED

218

SCHOOLS

The IMPOSTERS trial is revolutionising post-surgery care and patient comfort. Additionally, the clinical trial is also identifing cost-savings opportunities that will improve environmentalย  sustainability by minimising single-use devices.
CaseStudyIcons participants

550+

patients participated in the trial

hospital

3

participating hospitals

CaseStudyIcons funding

$850K

awarded to support the research project

550+

patients participated in the trial

3

participating hospitals

$850K

awarded to support the research project

Our research

Weโ€™re delivering groundbreaking health and medical research that not only changes lives within our region, but also right around the world.

Get involved

There are lots of different ways you can get involved with Hunter Medical Research Institute, and all of them can have a real impact.