Flinders University projects ranging from chronic pain to cancer will share in almost $4 million of research funding, thanks to the National Health and Medical Research Council's Investigator Grants for 2026.
Flinders researchers were awarded a total of $3,971,215 across three successfully funded projects that will investigate new ways to prevent infections linked to medical implants, reduce injury and trauma inequities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and improve equitable access to aged care so older Australians can stay healthier at home and out of hospital.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Raymond Chan congratulates this year's Investigator Grant project leaders and their teams on securing this highly competitive funding, which reflects the growing strength and ambition of research at Flinders University.
"These projects exemplify our commitment to research that delivers meaningful impact, addressing critical health challenges and improving everyday outcomes for patients, families and communities. This success underscores how Flinders research is expanding in scale, influence and real‑world benefit," says Professor Chan.
The successful applicants are:
Associate Professor Courtney Ryder – REenvisioning iNjury EmpoWerment approaches for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities (ReNEW) – ($1,636,800)
Associate Professor Courtney Ryder, Matthew Flinders Fellow, Discipline Lead for Injury Studies in the College of Medicine and Public Health, and Co-Director of the FHMRI's Health Equity Impact Program, will lead Aboriginal‑led research to reduce preventable injury and improve trauma care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
"Traumatic injury is a major but often overlooked crisis, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities bear far too great a burden," says Associate Professor Ryder.
"This research focuses on fixing system‑level gaps by strengthening Indigenous data leadership and supporting community‑led approaches to safer, more appropriate injury care."
Associate Professor Stephanie Harrison – Narrowing the divide: an evaluation of social and health determinants to improve equity in aged care access and health outcomes for older people ($1,636,800)
Associate Professor Stephanie Harrison, Matthew Flinders Associate Professor in Health Services and Epidemiology from the Registry of Senior Australians (ROSA) Research Centre, College of Health and Enablement will use national data and strong partnerships to identify and fix inequities in aged care access, helping older Australians receive timely, appropriate care.
"Too many older Australians miss out on timely aged care because of social and health barriers," says Associate Professor Harrison.
"This project uses national data to identify gaps and examine approaches that improve access, health outcomes and quality of life."
Dr Andrew Hayles – Nanoengineering a new class of functional biomaterials for antibiotic potentiation ($697,615)
Dr Andrew Hayles, from FHMRI's Biomedical Nanoengineering Laboratory, will lead a project to pioneer the development a new class of medical implant coating that makes bacteria easier to kill with antibiotics, helping prevent dangerous infections before they take hold.
"Medical implants can transform lives, but they also give bacteria a place to attach and resist antibiotics, leading to serious infections," says Dr Hayles from the College of Medicine and Public Health.
"This project aims to change how implant surfaces interact with bacteria, making antibiotics more effective and helping prevent infections before they take hold."
