International autism expert arrives in Perth for FHRI Fund Distinguished Fellowship

Western Australia’s commitment to advancing autism research has received a major boost with the appointment of Associate Professor Mirko Uljarevic as the 2024–25 FHRI Fund Distinguished Fellow.

A $3.4 million FHRI Fund Fellowship, co-funded with more than $1 million from the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, will support a 5-year research program led by Associate Professor Uljarevic, who relocated from Stanford University to Perth. The program, Transforming the clinical pathway for children with autism: Using big data to improve outcomes, aims to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of autism screening, diagnosis, and care in WA. He is based at The Kids Research Institute and The University of Western Australia (UWA).

Associate Professor Uljarevic is internationally recognised for his expertise in clinical and data science, with a track record of leading major research projects and developing innovative clinical assessments. His work will harness large-scale datasets and advanced analytics to deliver more efficient, personalised care for children with autism and their families.

The program will also strengthen WA’s research capability, with emerging autism researchers Dr Lacey Chetcuti and Dr Emily Spackman joining the team.

The FHRI Fund Distinguished Fellows Program is a key initiative under the FHRI Fund Strategy 2025–30, designed to attract outstanding research leaders to WA and support long-term health, economic, and innovation goals.

Applications for the next round of FHRI Fund Distinguished Fellowships are now open. Future Health Research and Innovation Fund - FHRI Fund Distinguished Fellows 2025-26