HCRF Annual Awards

2025
Event recap

Celebrating excellence in children's health research

Honouring the dedication and heart behind the Hunter's brightest research minds
Last night, the Hunter Children's Research Foundation proudly hosted the HCRF Annual Awards Night — a special occasion to shine a light on the remarkable researchers and clinicians at Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) whose work continues to improve health outcomes for children in the Hunter and beyond.

The evening marked the announcement of this year's CARE Awards — our Community Awards for Research Excellence — recognising the commitment, collaboration, and innovation that drive life-changing outcomes for children and families in our community.

2025 CARE Award Recipients

Research Mentor of the Year
‍Sponsored by Newcastle Permanent
‍Professor Craig Pennell
Achievement in Research
Sponsored by JSA Group
Associate Professor Koert de Waal
Encouragement for Research
Sponsored by nib
Dr Chris Lawrence
Achievement in Quality Improvement
Sponsored by The Wests Group
Paediatric Respiratory Team
Project Lead: Sally Grahame  ·  Project Manager: Casey Mayall

Grant recipients

Dr Bronwyn Brew
tracking severe wheeze from infancy to asthma in childhood
Professor Vanessa Murphy
The role if the infant microbiome in asthma and allergy development among children at high risk
Professor Deborah Harris
Pilot study of the treatment of hypoglycaemia in newborns with intravenous glucose (shine study)
Dr Tuan Vo
mapping the hidden neighbourhood of childhood brain tumours
Dr Gabriela Martins Costa Gomes
simplifying infant lung function with crip
HCRF Annual Awards 2025 — Photo Mosaic
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A volunteer-run charity raising funds for groundbreaking paediatric research in the Hunter region since 1996. An auspice group of HMRI.
Contact
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hcrf@outlook.com.au

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© Hunter Childrens Research Foundation.  All Rights Reserved 2026. Hunter Children's Research Foundation fundraises as an auspice group of Hunter Medical Research Institute.
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The Hunter Children’s Research Foundation (HCRF) raises funds for vital research into children's terminal and debilitating illnesses. Since 2007, HCRF has operated under the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), which holds charitable licenses for fundraising across Australia. HMRI is a registered Health Promotion Charity and a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR1), allowing tax-deductible donations. It is authorised to fundraise in all Australian states and territories, with specific registration and license numbers for each. More details are available through HMRI’s official channels, including the ATO and ACNC websites.