A number of awards have been established to celebrate exceptional contributions to health and medical research.
The HMRI Award for Research Excellence is HMRI’s premier award and recognises the achievements of an outstanding researcher who has made a sustained contribution to research in the Hunter.
The HMRI Director’s Award for Mid-Career Research recognises and rewards the dedication and achievements of one of the Hunter’s most gifted mid-career researchers.
The HMRI Award for Early Career Research supports and raises awareness of the work of the Hunter’s most talented early career researchers, at a critical time in their career.
The HMRI Research Team Excellence Award recognises and rewards an outstanding team who has collectively demonstrated excellence in health and medical research for the wellbeing of our communities.
The Newcastle Permanent Emerging Innovator Award was established in 2024, the Newcastle Permanent Emerging Innovator Award recognises early-career researchers who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in bridging the gap between research and real-world application.
The award is supported by the Newcastle Permanent as part of HMRI and the Newcastle Permanent’s health innovation partnership.
HMRI Infection Research Program
Professor Joshua Davis is a globally recognised infectious diseases clinician–researcher whose work has transformed the evidence base for severe infections through the design and leadership of high-impact clinical trials. Having led over 15 randomised trials, 240+ publications, 14,800 citations, and been awarded over $51M in competitive funding, he has fundamentally changed the management of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections through the landmark CAMERA trials and the world-first SNAP adaptive platform trial—now the largest ever RCT in this disease, recruiting across 11 countries. His findings have reshaped international guidelines, and improved outcomes for millions of patients worldwide.
Professor Davis also co-led Australia’s major COVID-19 treatment trials (ASCOT), advanced prosthetic joint infection management through the PIANO study, and founded the HMRI Infection Research Program, now with ~40 affiliates. A dedicated mentor and clinical leader, he has supervised 10 PhD completions, guided numerous early-career researchers, led national and international infectious diseases organisations, and strengthened HMRI through new programs, major grants, and institute-wide research initiatives.
HMRI Active Living and Learning Research Program
Associate Professor Myles Young is recognised for his world-leading work improving men’s mental health. Professor Young’s research tackles Australia’s silent crisis in men’s wellbeing, where suicide remains the leading cause of death for men aged 18–44. Through innovative, gender-tailored programs, he is creating new ways to help men engage with mental health support. Professor Young has led national clinical trials, including a major MRFF-funded study on outdoor therapy for men, which have already delivered more than 1,000 free therapy sessions across the Hunter.
As head of the Men’s Mental Health Research Group, he mentors emerging psychologists and has published widely, with over 65 papers and 3,200 citations. Backed by over $8 million in funding and recognised nationally his work is redefining how mental health care is delivered to men, making it more engaging, effective, and life-saving.
HMRI Active Living and Learning Research Program
Dr Emily Cox has emerged as a national leader in exercise and metabolic health, transforming how exercise is prescribed for people with metabolic disease. She has produced high-quality, internationally cited evidence now embedded in major clinical guidelines, secured over $327k in competitive funding, published widely, and received multiple national awards.
Her work is strongly consumer-led, using co-design and lived experience to develop scalable, evidence-based interventions that improve metabolic health outcomes. As a mentor and research leader, Dr Cox supervises students, builds clinical and academic capacity, and holds influential national and international leadership roles.
HMRI Brain Neuromodulation Research Program
Dr Nikitas Koussis is the creator of OncoMind, a cutting-edge digital platform revolutionising how brain cancer is monitored and managed. OncoMind integrates real-time patient data from wearables and diaries with advanced imaging and AI analytics to detect subtle changes in health between clinical visits, enabling earlier intervention and personalised care. By bridging data science, oncology, and patient experience, the platform addresses a major gap in brain cancer care where complications often go unnoticed until it’s too late.
Backed by strong industry interest and early prototype success, OncoMind has the potential to transform brain cancer treatment pathways, reduce hospital readmissions, and enhance quality of life.
HMRI Active Living and Learning Research Program
Dr Emily Cox has emerged as a national leader in exercise and metabolic health, transforming how exercise is prescribed for people with metabolic disease. She has produced high-quality, internationally cited evidence now embedded in major clinical guidelines, secured over $327k in competitive funding, published widely, and received multiple national awards.
Her work is strongly consumer-led, using co-design and lived experience to develop scalable, evidence-based interventions that improve metabolic health outcomes. As a mentor and research leader, Dr Cox supervises students, builds clinical and academic capacity, and holds influential national and international leadership roles.
