Posted: 29 September 2025
The University of Melbourne was awarded $9 million in funding for three new Centres of Research Excellence (CREs), designed to address pressing health and sustainability challenges. The funding, announced by the Minister for Health and Ageing, Mark Butler MP, was provided through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) scheme to improve health outcomes and translate research into policy and practice.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Mark Cassidy said the recognition reflected the University’s commitment to research impact and collaboration. “The three new Centres of Research Excellence demonstrate how University of Melbourne researchers are working in partnership to advance knowledge and directly improve lives,” Professor Cassidy stated. “From mood disorders to breathlessness and One Health, these projects bring together extraordinary interdisciplinary teams to solve problems that matter. We would also like to acknowledge our partner organisations who will receive funding in this round of grants. We are enormously privileged to be part of the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct which enables the kinds of interdisciplinary and collaborative research that delivers real benefit to our community.”
The Centre for Next-Generation Treatments for Mood Disorders will be led by Professor Christopher Davey. The neuroscience program will be directed by Professor Ben Harrison and Associate Professor Jess Nithianantharajah, with further collaboration from Professor Colleen Loo (Black Dog Institute) and Professor Nick Glozier (University of Sydney). The work will be guided by lived experience expertise led by Clare Walton, and will investigate safety, cost-effectiveness, equitable access, and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The Centre for Investigating Mechanisms, Peripheral and Central Traits (IMPACT) in Chronic Cough, directed by Professor Stuart Mazzone, will explore biological and clinical drivers of chronic cough, co-design awareness initiatives with First Nations communities, and train future scientists. Partners include Monash University, UNSW, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Queensland, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Montana and King’s College London, with additional support from Lung Foundation Australia, Laryngology Society of Australia, Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand, NEuroCOUGH CRC (UK), Redenlab (Australia) and Hyfe AI (USA).
The Building Resilient One Health Communities centre, led by Professor Glenn Browning, will partner with Southeast Asian and Pacific communities to prevent zoonoses, reduce antimicrobial resistance and strengthen food security. Partners include the Melbourne Veterinary School, the Nossal Institute, Monash University, Murdoch University, Udayana University (Bali), PNG Institute of Medical Research, Menzies School of Health Research, Prevalensi Nusantara (Indonesia), the National Research and Innovation Agency (Indonesia) and the National University of Timor-Leste.
The announcement also coincided with the University’s new research strategy, which emphasised deeper cross-sector engagement to address global challenges.
Find out more here.
