Thank you, WA—our 2025 wrap and what we’re delivering together in 2026

As 2025 draws to a close, I want to thank everyone across Western Australia’s health and medical research and innovation community for your commitment to improving health outcomes.

This year has been pivotal for both the Office of Medical Research and Innovation and the Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund.

Highlights of 2025 include:

• Launching the FHRI Fund Strategy 2025–2030, setting a clear roadmap to connect and collaborate, accelerate translation, and build confidence in WA’s research ecosystem
• Strengthening partnerships across the QEII Health and Biomedical Precinct
• Supporting groundbreaking projects through targeted funding streams of the FHRI Fund
• Congratulating FHRI Fund recipient Dr Nikhilesh Bappoo, winner of the 2025 Prize for New Innovators at the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science
• Hosting two FHRI Fund Open Days:
  • Busselton Health Study showcase of WA’s research strengths and collaboration opportunities
  • Launch of the Spotlight Program on Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD), reinforcing our commitment to consumer-driven research
• Launching the WA Clinical Trials Roadmap, providing a blueprint for strengthening trial capability and access across the State
• Achieving NHMRC certification for the WA Central Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC), a major milestone for streamlined ethical review
• Appointing Paula Rogers as the first Chair of the QEII Health and Biomedical Precinct, strengthening governance and collaboration

On top of these achievements, we also advanced plans to strengthen WA’s health innovation ecosystem—laying the foundations for a connected community that will transform ideas into solutions by 2030.

This included progress on the Murray Street Launchpad, a catalyst in the heart of Perth helping founders navigate the ecosystem and mature ideas to investment-ready stage; the QEII Health and Biomedical Precinct , which brings together health care, research, industry and education to drive translation and commercialisation; and the Floreat Biomedical Manufacturing Hub, designed to enable scale-up and commercial launch of health innovations.

PRIORITIES FOR 2026

Looking ahead, 2026 will be a year of delivery and continued momentum for OMRI across a broad agenda.

Key priorities include implementing FHRI Fund Programs and Initiatives to support the strategy, progressing the WA Clinical Trials Roadmap and the National One Stop Shop, delivering our three innovation ecosystem drivers at Murray Street, QEII and Floreat, and continuing to expand and improve the central HREC.

On behalf of OMRI, I wish you a safe, happy and healthy festive season. Thank you for your support and partnership in 2025. We look forward to working with you in 2026.

Dr Stacey Waters

Executive Director

Office of Medical Research and Innovation