|
Health Translation SA (HTSA) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 MRFF Catalyst Grant Scheme, marking the third consecutive year of this successful initiative designed to strengthen South Australia’s competitiveness in securing Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) investment.
Through a total investment of $387,000, the 2025 round will support six outstanding projects that address key health challenges across infant health, cancer and chronic condition management.
Delivered in partnership with The Hospital Research Foundation Group, Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation, and Cancer Council SA, the MRFF Catalyst Grant Scheme provides targeted seed funding to help collaborative research teams test ideas, engage consumers, and prepare for national competitive funding opportunities.
“The Catalyst Scheme continues to demonstrate the value of collaboration across South Australia’s research and health sectors,” said Tom Symonds, Executive Director of Health Translation SA.
“Each of this year’s projects exemplifies our shared commitment to accelerating research translation—ensuring that strong ideas, grounded in clinical and community need, can evolve into scalable solutions that improve health outcomes for South Australians.”
The 2025 Catalyst recipients are:
The Hospital Research Foundation Group
🏆 Dr. Rosa Virgara (University of South Australia) – A better bypass: Improved health for patients after heart surgery
🏆 Dr. Dusan Matusica (Flinders University) – Development of a blood test for the identification of neuropathic pain types
🏆 Dr. Suzanne Dawson (Flinders University) – Leveraging work as an intervention in primary mental health care to enable individuals and communities to thrive
🏆 Assoc. Prof. Stephanie Harrison (Flinders University) - Evaluating the use of care services on post-stroke health outcomes in older adults living in regional, rural and remote areas
Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation
🏆 Assoc. Prof. Ecushla Linedale (SAHMRI) – Readiness for Scale: A Multi-Jurisdictional Assessment to Enable National Expansion of the Omega-3 Test and Treat Program (O3TTP)
Cancer Council SA
🏆 Prof. Claudine Bonder (University of South Australia) – Advancing a novel precision-guided cancer therapy
Each project team have also just participated in HTSA’s Research Translation Essentials Course, designed to continue to strengthen their skills in implementation, evaluation, and impact planning.
Since launching in 2023, the Catalyst Scheme has provided more than
$1.2 million in seed funding (19 projects) — helping South Australian research teams turn promising ideas into collaborative projects with real-world impact.
About the Catalyst Grant Scheme
The HTSA MRFF Catalyst Grant Scheme focuses South Australian effort around the MRFF’s Principles and Priorities and rewards meaningful collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and consumers.
The Scheme’s three funding streams – Chronic Conditions (THRF Group), Maternal and Paediatric Health (WCH Foundation), and Cancer (Cancer Council SA) – reflect a shared vision to drive innovation where it is needed most.
For more information about the program or upcoming funding opportunities, visit our website.
|
