Dr Johanna Birrell of Sydney University has received the NHMRC’s Gustav Nossal Postgraduate Scholarship Award for her research into the kidney disease burden across Australia and improving equity in public healthcare.
Announced at a ceremony in Canberra last month, the awards are presented annually to the 14 top-ranked research applicants to NHMRC’s major funding schemes, recognising their contributions to health and medical research.
Dr Birrell is a general physician and advanced trainee in public health medicine with an interest in rural health, Indigenous health, and health services research.
A PhD candidate from the University of Sydney, her thesis focuses on the geographic and socioeconomic variation in kidney failure and care across Australia and New Zealand through a health services research lens.
Using linked health data and quantitative analysis, geo-spatial mapping and patient interviews, her research centres around examining the variation in the burden of disease, service provision and access to kidney transplantation.
“Our research will deliver novel insights into which communities across Australia and New Zealand are most affected by kidney failure, face the greatest difficulties in accessing care, and the contributing factors,” she said.
“This project aims to provide an evidence base for a bi-national kidney failure strategy that addresses geographic differences in need and can be updated over time.”
Dr Birrell has previously received awards including the Royal Australasian College of Physicians 2023 Aotearoa Trainee Research Award for Excellence in the Field of Adult Medicine and the Gerry Murphy Prize in 2022.
“I am very honoured to receive the Gustav Nossal Award, which reflects the support I have received from many dedicated, inspiring supervisors and colleagues during my physician and public health training,” she said.
“Placements in regional areas of South Australia, the Northern Territory and New Zealand have created unique career opportunities. I would encourage early career researchers and clinicians to take up experiences in a range of healthcare settings, particularly rural and remote communities.”
NHMRC’s chief executive Professor Steve Wesselingh said each Research Excellence Award recognised a pioneer in Australian health and medical science.
“It is only appropriate that Australia’s next generation of researchers are recognised for their work that equally reflects both the qualities exemplified by those that came before them, and their sustained contributions to the sector.”