Flinders University researchers will keep striving to change 10 million lives for the better by 2035 with the assistance of $9 million funding provided by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) 2026 Centres of Research Excellence grants.
Three Flinders projects will share equal amounts to focus on such areas of urgent attention as the long-term needs of cancer survivors, addressing male mental health care, and improving injury outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities.
Professor Raymond Chan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at Flinders University, will lead a Centre of Research Excellence into Maximising the System's Potential to Optimise Living Well with Cancer, which has received $3 million in funds (Grant ID: 2054467).
This new Centre will improve care for more than 1.6 million Australians living with cancer by developing better holistic support systems that meet their long-term needs.
"The Centre will generate new knowledge on how to maximise value-based survivorship care through supported self-management, the role of healthcare and social care providers, and coordination of supports beyond health care," says Professor Chan.
"It will involve people affected by cancer, various health professionals and social care providers to create more coordinated, person-centred models. By using research and collaboration, the Centre will build national capacity and drive lasting change in survivorship care across Australia."
Associate Professor Courtney Ryder will lead the Centre of Research Excellence in First Nations Injury: STRONG - Strengthening Transformative Responses to Overcome National Gaps in injury for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities - which has received $3 million in funds (Grant ID: 2054930).
"Injury is a major but often overlooked health issue in Australia, which impacts Indigenous communities the most - with injury being the third leading cause of death and second leading cause of disease burden," says Associate Professor Ryder. "This occurs from poor policies, limited community-led solutions, and care that isn't culturally safe.
"STRONG will lead an Indigenous-led, strength-based research program to change these injury outcomes, through public health systems and policy, prevention and care models, and community-led solutions. STRONG will build capacity, creating change to reduce Indigenous injury burden through collaborating with ACCHOs, health divisions, NGOs, government bodies and sporting bodies to translate research into policy and practice.
"The benefits of STRONG are both direct and long-term, and represent broad, long-term benefits for health, policy and quality of life."
Professor James Smith will lead WellMen: A Centre for Research Excellence into the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Boys and Men, which has received a $3 million grant (Grant ID: 2054503) to help address a boys' and men's mental health crisis in Australia.
"We aim to improve the mental health and wellbeing of boys and men in Australia by working with them to develop new strategies to promote mental health at critical life stages and in places where they feel most comfortable - such as schools, sports clubs and online," says Professor Smith. "We will also develop, support, and grow the boys' and men's mental health promotion workforce."
