Image: Dr Alisa Pedrana

Burnet Institute Senior Research Fellow, Implementation Science Group Co-Head, and Coordinator of EC Australia, Dr Alisa Pedrana is one of 11 recipients of an exciting new award, The Victorian Near-miss Award Pilot.

An initiative of the Victorian Chapter of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (VicAAMRI) and veski as part of the Victorian Health and Medical Research Workforce Project, the award aims to support the retention and development of outstanding emerging researchers and future leaders from groups facing systematic barriers to success.

This includes women, transgender, gender diverse and non-binary people; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People; and people with a disability.

The Victorian Near-miss Award Pilot addresses disadvantage by supporting the best eligible but unfunded Victorian applicants from these groups at the 2021 NHMRC Emerging Leader level 2 scheme.

Each award is valued at AUD$ 74,000 and is matched with a cash contribution of the same value from the recipient’s primary employer.

“It’s nice to have the Victorian Government and VicAAMRI recognise that we are putting in all this hard work but just missing out, and to have their support to continue the work I’m doing and to encourage me to continue to apply for things like NHMRC Fellowships,” Dr Pedrana said.

Dr Pedrana said the award would support her work on two projects focused on the elimination of hepatitis C in Australia – a partnership with Bulgarr Ngaru Medical Aboriginal Corporation in northern New South Wales to develop campaigns for hepatitis C testing; and the evaluation of a same-day hepatitis C test-and-treat model in Cairns.

The 11 recipients of The Victorian Near-miss Award Pilot work in a broad range of medical disciplines including neuroscience, physiotherapy, mental health and structural biology.

“These 11 awardees are among Victoria’s most outstanding emerging researchers,” said Professor Elizabeth Hartland, VicAAMRI Chair, Director and CEO of Hudson Institute for Medical Research, and Deputy Chair of the Victorian Health and Medical Research Workforce Project’s Expert Working Group.

“They represent the great diversity that makes Victoria’s health and medical research sector a world leader.

“We are proud to have developed this program, in partnership with the Victorian Government, that supports the ongoing work of these highly valued mid-career researchers.”

The awards are being administered by veski for the Victorian Health and Medical Research Workforce with funding provided by the Victorian Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions.

Veski MD and CEO Julia Page said the awards are an exciting positive step towards greater inclusion and diversity in medical science.

“Being able to support these exceptional researchers to continue their work will have far-reaching effects on medical knowledge and breakthroughs, ensuring the sector continues to grow and innovate,” Ms Page said.