Celebrating SPHERE’s 10 Years of Impact Award recipients
SPHERE has recognised some of the remarkable individuals and teams helping turn research into better health and healthcare through the 10 Years of Impact Awards.
Presented as part of SPHERE’s 10-year anniversary celebrations, the awards recognise work that has improved equity, strengthened partnerships, supported innovation and implementation, and made a meaningful difference for patients and communities.
Nominations were assessed by an expert judging panel, including independent assessors and a consumer representative. Each award also includes a professional development prize, giving recipients an opportunity to continue building their skills, networks and impact.
Congratulations to all of this year’s winners and Highly Commended recipients, and to everyone nominated for the contribution they have made to health research translation across the SPHERE community.
Equity in Health Impact Award
Recognises research, partnerships or programs that reduce inequities in access to care and health outcomes for priority populations, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and other underserved groups.
Winner: Scientia Professor Valsamma Eapen AO – Watch Me Grow
Professor Eapen was recognised for her leadership of Watch Me Grow, a program helping children and families access developmental screening and support earlier.
Initially supported by SPHERE seed funding, Watch Me Grow has expanded from early feasibility testing in South Western Sydney into a major program of research and implementation across health, education and community settings in Australia and overseas. It has also helped inform NSW policy, including the 2022 Blue Book revision and Brighter Beginnings initiative.
The program aims to give every child access to early identification and support, regardless of their cultural background, postcode or family circumstances.
Highly Commended: Pasifika Preventing Diabetes Programme
Led by Distinguished Professor David Simmons, the Pasifika Preventing Diabetes Programme (PPDP) was recognised for its culturally responsive, community-led approach to reducing type 2 diabetes inequities in Pasifika (Pacific Islander) communities.
Built on genuine co-design, trusted relationships and community leadership, PPDP demonstrates what can be achieved when communities are not simply recipients of healthcare initiatives, but active partners in shaping them.
Innovation and Implementation Award
Recognises work that combines innovation with effective implementation to deliver measurable improvements in patient outcomes, experience, or health system performance.
Winner: Professor Jason Grebely – TEMPO Study
Professor Grebely was recognised for his leadership of the TEMPO Study, which has helped transform access to hepatitis C testing and treatment for people who inject drugs.
Supported by a SPHERE seed grant, TEMPO combined point-of-care testing with nurse-led care and peer support. The pilot demonstrated the feasibility of this approach and achieved high treatment uptake, helping provide evidence for a national program now operating across more than 500 testing locations.
TEMPO is a strong example of research informing a broader model of care and contributing to Australia’s efforts to eliminate hepatitis C.
Highly Commended: Professor Sandy Middleton – Quality in Acute Stroke Care Program
Professor Middleton’s Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) program was recognised for translating evidence-based nursing protocols into routine stroke care across Australia and internationally.
By reducing death and disability and influencing clinical practice and guidelines, QASC demonstrates the difference implementation science can make when proven approaches become part of everyday patient care.
Partnership and Collaboration Award
Honours teams or networks that demonstrate exemplary cross-institutional, community, clinical, academic, or consumer partnerships that advance translational research and health impact.
Winner: Pasifika Preventing Diabetes Programme team
The PPDP team was recognised for bringing together Pasifika communities, health services, universities, government and industry to address diabetes inequities.
Led by Distinguished Professor David Simmons, the team includes Professor Freya MacMillan, Dr Tina Naumovski, Associate Professor Kate McBride, Salā Ronda Thompson, Makeleta Felila, Tene Pahulu, Tayla Thompson and Kegnie Getie.
Their work shows that meaningful partnership is about much more than bringing organisations together. Community leadership, trust and shared ownership have been central to building a program designed for sustainable, long-term impact.
Highly Commended: Nursing and Midwifery Implementation Science Academy
Awarded to Professor Sandy Middleton and Associate Professor Eamon Merrick, on behalf of the Nursing and Midwifery Implementation Science Academy.
The Academy brings together nurses, midwives, health services and researchers across NSW to strengthen implementation science capability and collaboration.
Through education, advocacy and collaborative research including ACCELERATE Plus and the FRAIL-AS Response trial, the Academy is strengthening connections across the health system and helping more nurses and midwives develop the skills and confidence to turn evidence into better care.
Emerging Researcher Award
Acknowledges a researcher who is building strong collaborative networks, producing high-quality research and showing clear potential to translate evidence into improved clinical practice or community outcomes
Winner: Associate Professor Susann Beier
Associate Professor Beier was recognised for pioneering research bringing together cardiovascular modelling, medical imaging and artificial intelligence.
Her work is turning routine heart imaging into tools for earlier diagnosis, risk prediction and personalised care, including for patients whose risks can be under-recognised by conventional approaches.
With her research progressing from seed-funded collaborations towards internationally used infrastructure, patented innovation and clinical implementation, Associate Professor Beier is building an exciting body of work with the potential to improve cardiovascular care well into the future.
Highly Commended: Associate Professor Nicola Straiton
Associate Professor Straiton was recognised for translational research spanning frailty, cardiovascular care, end-of-life care and cancer, alongside her strong advocacy for nursing and midwifery early- and mid-career researchers.
Her work combines practical solutions to healthcare challenges with a commitment to supporting the people who will lead future research and improvement.
Women in Translational Health Leadership Award
Recognises an outstanding female researcher who has demonstrated leadership in translational health research, collaboration, and impact. This award celebrates women who are advancing innovation, strengthening research capacity, and contributing to meaningful improvements in health outcomes.
Winner: Professor Sandy Middleton
Professor Middleton was recognised for more than two decades of leadership in nurse-led implementation science.
Through internationally recognised programs including Quality in Acute Stroke Care and ACCELERATE Plus, she has demonstrated how nurse-led research can reduce death, disability and patient harm and influence policy and practice at national and international scale.
Just as importantly, her leadership has created opportunities for other clinicians and researchers to build their own skills, lead research and contribute to lasting change across the health system.
Highly Commended: Professor Natalie Taylor
Professor Taylor was recognised for her leadership in implementation science and precision oncology.
Through the Precision Care Initiative and Implementation to Impact (i2i), she has brought clinicians, researchers, consumers and health services together to translate advances in genomics into more personalised and equitable cancer care, including helping establish the world’s first integrated precision oncology clinic.
Her work reflects an essential part of research translation: making sure promising scientific advances do not remain confined to research, but reach patients and become part of better healthcare.
Congratulations to all our winners, Highly Commended recipients and nominees!
Photography: Samuel Acosta Perez