Celebrating Excellence: Monash Medicine Early Career Research Excellence Program Awardees 2026
Professor James Whisstock with the Early Career Research Excellence Program awardees.
Monash University’s Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences is proud to announce the 2026 recipients of the Monash Medicine Early Career Research Excellence Program (ECREP), celebrating an outstanding cohort of Early Career Researchers whose work demonstrates exceptional promise, leadership and global impact.
The Early Career Research Excellence Program enables the Faculty to identify and support exceptional emerging leaders early in their careers by providing targeted research funding and mentorship. The Program is designed for Early Career Researchers with the potential to become global leaders in their fields, supporting the development of strong research profiles, collaborative networks and sustainable research teams.
Established in 2023 through a generous donation from Lady Primrose Potter AC, the inaugural Program honoured her grandfather, Sir Thomas Peter Anderson Stuart, founder of Australia’s first medical school at the University of Sydney. The Program has since become a flagship initiative within the Faculty, underscoring the vital role of philanthropy in advancing medical research and researcher development.
The 2025 round was supported by a gift from the late Gregory Campbell, establishing the Campbell Bursary, further strengthening the Program’s reach and impact.
In 2026, the Program continues to grow through the generosity of multiple donors.
Three award categories have been made possible through donations from the late Gregory Campbell, Lady Primrose Potter AC, The Pitt Family, and Yin Ming Michelle Yao, in honour of her daughter, Anthea Lam.
The Faculty extends its deepest gratitude to these benefactors, whose generosity enables early career researchers to pursue ambitious, high-impact research that will improve health outcomes locally and globally.
Deputy Dean (Research), Professor James Whisstock, congratulated the 2026 awardees and acknowledged the importance of donor-supported initiatives:
“The Early Career Research Excellence Program plays a critical role in identifying and supporting researchers at a pivotal point in their careers. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our donors, these outstanding early career researchers are being given the time, resources and mentorship they need to build world-class programs of research. I warmly congratulate all of this year’s recipients and look forward to seeing their research make a lasting impact.”
The 2026 awardees are as follows:
The Anthea Lam Early Career Fellowship for Excellence in Neuroscience - Providing research support and mentorship.
- Dr Emma Foster – School of Translational Medicine (Neuroscience)
The Gregory Campbell & Lady Primrose Potter Early Career Excellence Award for Eye Health and Vision Research.
- Dr Lee Fletcher – Biomedicine Discovery Institute (Physiology)
- Dr Joanne O’Donnell – Biomedicine Discovery Institute (Pharmacology)
- Dr Rong Xu – School of Translational Medicine (Diabetes)
- Dr Charlotte Keung – School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (Medicine)
The Pitt Family ECR Award in Brain and Mental Health - Turner Institute providing support in research and clinical practice in the field of mental health and cognitive decline.
- Dr Rebecca Kirkham - School of Psychological Sciences
The Monash Medicine Early Career Research Excellence Program continues to be a cornerstone of the Faculty’s commitment to research excellence, leadership development and innovation. By investing in emerging researchers, the Program not only accelerates individual careers but also strengthens Monash’s capacity to address complex health challenges through discovery, translation and impact.
The Faculty once again offers its sincere congratulations to all 2026 award recipients and extends heartfelt thanks to our donors, whose vision and generosity make this Program possible.
About Monash University
Monash University is Australia’s largest university with more than 80,000 students. In the 60 years since its foundation, it has developed a reputation for world-leading high-impact research, quality teaching, and inspiring innovation.
With four campuses in Australia and a presence in Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia and Italy, it is one of the most internationalised Australian universities.
As a leading international medical research university with the largest medical faculty in Australia and integration with leading Australian teaching hospitals, we consistently rank in the top 50 universities worldwide for clinical, pre-clinical and health sciences.
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