NCHA Data Platform wins Monash Research Infrastructure Excellence Award
Congratulations to our National Centre for Healthy Ageing (NCHA) Data Platform team who are joint winners of the Monash University Vice-Chancellor's inaugural Research Infrastructure Excellence Award!
This achievement reflects the innovative and pioneering approach of the NCHA Data Platform, Australia’s first linked electronic health record research platform, which integrated data from more than one million patients in a Victorian regional area over a 10-year period, including AI-analysed clinical notes.
NCHA Director, Professor Velandai Srikanth paid tribute to the research team led by Professor Nadine Andrew and Associate Professor Richard Beare.
“It’s a fabulous recognition of the efforts of the National Centre for Healthy Ageing’s Data Platform team in developing a unique large data research resource for studying health related to ageing, in a true health service-academic partnership!” Professor Srikanth said.
“Congratulations to our dedicated team who continue to push the boundaries through their commitment to delivering excellence and innovation.”
Monash University’s Executive Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Professor Christina Mitchell AO acknowledged the award winner’s outstanding commitment to excellence.
“The Awards celebrate the exceptional contributions of our staff whose work continues to make a profound impact on the community and beyond,” Professor Mitchell said.
Through the partnership between Peninsula Health and Monash University, the NCHA Data Platform is uniquely positioned to continue to drive evidence-based solutions to address major research and policy challenges in healthy ageing.
The impact of the Data Platform has already been demonstrated through its support of competitive research grants in fields such as dementia, aged care, opioid policy, and health service redesign, in collaboration with the Australian Research Data Commons. The breadth of real world data also enables the rigorous development and rigorous testing of artificial intelligence models designed to improve patient care.
Data Platform Lead, Professor Nadine Andrew said the team was honoured to have received the prestigious award.
“It was very much a team effort bringing together a highly skilled multidisciplinary team of both professional and academic staff from Monash University and Peninsula Health. A heartfelt thanks to our current team as well as past contributors,” Professor Andrew said.
The NCHA Healthy Ageing Data Platform team
NCHA’s Lead Biostatistician, Dr Taya Collyer said: “The NCHA Data Platform is a globally unique data asset, with huge potential for answering clinical questions. We are grounded in our community, proud to work on Bunurong country and committed to improving the health of all Australians.”
Read more about the Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards 2025
Discover more about the NCHA’s Data Platform or contact us to discuss how it can support your innovative research program.