We are pleased to announce the winners for the 2026 Research Excellence Awards.
Metro North continues to be a leader in health and medical research and we are proud of the impressive work recognised in our selection of finalists.
Chief Executive Award recipient
Dr Cheryl Hutchins has been a dedicated member of the Metro North Research community for over 30 years. She has been the critical link between doctors, scientists and patients across clinical care, expert laboratory services and clinical trials. With a PhD in Biochemistry and a Bachelor of Science, her expertise has been fundamental to setting up the entire cell therapies research program, from bone marrow transplant research, through to genetically engineered products such as CAR-T therapy.
As Director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Laboratory at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, she was a central driver in achieving FACT and NATA laboratory accreditation, and ultimately became a renowned expert in laboratory accreditation and regulatory standards. She has been instrumental in establishing our ability to deliver cellular and genetic therapies to our patients in Metro North. This includes being a key lead in developing advanced new laboratory capacities, including on-site manufacture of CAR T cells. Across her career she has become well regarded by the international laboratory sciences community and is a longstanding member of International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy.
Research Implementation Award
Evaluating the Implementation of the Ambassador Occupational Violence Prevention Program
Occupational violence is an international emergency in healthcare, yet evidence-based solutions have been scarce. This program, developed in partnership with the Queensland Occupational Violence Strategy Unit, Metro North Health, and QUT, systematically implemented and evaluated the Ambassador model—an innovative, embedded security role designed to prevent violence from escalating. A staged program of co-design, implementation, and rigorous evaluation demonstrated a 60% reduction in security calls and 70% reduction in incident reports. This work has improved workforce safety, shifted safety culture, informed Queensland Health policy, and established the foundation for statewide scale-up.
Finalists
- From First-in-Human Innovation to Sustainable Clinical Care: Implementing Robotic Bronchoscopy at RBWH
- Metro North Post-Intensive Care Follow-up Clinic
Discovery Award
Microbiome driven solutions in Transplant and Cell Therapy
The microbiome, or the millions of bugs that live in our body, is linked to health and illness and to complications of transplant including infection, immune side-effects and survival. We currently lack proven diagnostic tools and treatments to help patients overcome adverse effects driven by the microbiome, or to benefit from its protective potential. Our multidisciplinary research team of doctors, dieticians, pharmacists, research scientists and consumer representatives is delivering new tests and therapies designed around the microbiome, which bridge this gap in scientific and medical knowledge. We are using this to deliver better outcomes for patients undergoing transplantation.
Finalists
- Community Opioid Dispensing after Injury: population-based data linkage studies (CODI & CODI-II)
- ENT Research Team – Botulinum Toxin Type A for Rhinitis Pilot
Clinical Research Award
Redcliffe Intensive Care Unit Research Program
The Redcliffe ICU Clinical Research Program is a multidisciplinary, district hospital-based program that has delivered exceptional research output across critical care infection, ICU survivorship, and patient-centred outcomes. Over 2024–2025, the team contributed to 30+ peer-reviewed publications, secured multiple competitive grants including MRFF and NHMRC awards, and delivered clinically implemented innovations including a nutrition pathway, bowel protocol, and Australia’s first post-ICU follow-up clinic. With international contributions through EUROBACT-2 and leadership of the Queensland Critical Care Research Network, this program demonstrates that embedded, inclusive clinical research produces measurable impact for Metro North patients and beyond.
Finalists
- RBWH Neuromuscular Research
- DrumBeat.ai: Artificial Intelligence to Triage Indigenous Ear Disease
Partnering with Consumers Award
Supporting Fathers/Partners Project
The Supporting Fathers/Partners Project is a consumer-led, co-designed program — with three consumer co-investigators — transforming perinatal mental health care by centring fathers and partners in research, policy, and practice. Diverse consumers shaped every stage, from design to data collection, sense-making and national validation of Best Practice Principles for culturally responsive, trauma-informed care. Supported by $100,000 in philanthropic funding, this innovative program delivers lasting health, social and knowledge impact by embedding lived experience into policy, clinical guidance and digital health interventions for families following traumatic pregnancy and birth experiences.
Finalists
- Transforming person-centred care through quality consumer and community involvement in research
- Measuring What Matters – Co-designing nutrition research with consumers
Research Support Award
TPCH Allied Health Research Collaborative Group
The Allied Health Research Collaborative (AHRC) is TPCH’s largest and most active research group and a major enabler of multidisciplinary research across the hospital. In 2025, AHRC led 115 research projects, supported Allied Health staff as collaborators on 99 additional projects, helped secure more than $10 million through 46 successful grants, and supported 83 manuscripts, more than 90 presentations and 17 awards. Through embedded research coordinators, discipline leaders and translational mentorship, AHRC provides the research support infrastructure that turns clinical questions into funded studies, publications, presentations and better care for Metro North patients.
Finalists
- QUT–Metro North Nursing and Midwifery Research Internship Programme
- Metro North Mental Health Research Team
Professor Joan Webster Nursing and Midwifery Award
Dr Natasha Roberts
Dr Roberts has delivered significant and sustained impact on nursing practice, patient outcomes, and health service delivery at local, national, and international levels. Her research has influenced international clinical guidelines and national policy statements, evidencing translation of nursing-led research into practice standards. Dr Roberts’ work has supported the development of sustainable clinical services, including specialist nursing services and symptom management pathways that continue as routine care within Metro North Health. She also contributes to global dissemination of nursing knowledge through invited presentations, professional leadership roles, and international engagement, extending the impact of Metro North nursing innovation beyond Queensland.
Finalists
- Dr Grace Xu
- Dr Andrea Taylor
Rising Star Award
Dr Grace Xu
Dr Grace Xu is a Research Fellow in Implementation Science at RBWH and QUT, and a Senior Nurse Practitioner at RBWH Emergency and Trauma Centre. She has secured $10.3 million through 34 competitive grants, published 49 peer-reviewed papers (cited in 93 countries), and translated her research into practice internationally. Her wellness toolkits are used in over 40 Australian EDs, and her work has informed nine international clinical guidelines. Recognised with 25 awards including Early Career Academic of the Year (2024) and QuARRIES Award for Consumer Focus (2025), with seven current and one completed HDR student, Dr Xu exemplifies research excellence.
Finalists
- Dr Natasha Roberts
- A/Prof Carla Scuderi
Researcher of the Year Award
Professor Claire Rickard
Professor Claire Rickard is a globally recognised leader in vascular access and infection prevention, with a field-defining program embedded within Metro North. With 57 randomised trials, 360 peer-reviewed publications and $32 million in funding, she has mentored and supported numerous clinician researchers. Her findings have changed international policy and practice, reduced preventable intravenous catheter complications, unnecessary procedures, healthcare costs and environmental waste. As an NHMRC Leadership Fellow, Deputy-Director of the Herston Infectious Diseases Institute and founder of AVATAR, she has built an enduring research capacity at MN and had substantial impact on knowledge and patient care globally.
Finalists
- Professor Norm Morris
- Professor Zarnie Lwin OAM
Winner: Professor Claire Rickard
Researcher of the Year Award
Winner: Professor Claire Rickard
Professor Claire Rickard is a globally recognised leader in vascular access and infection prevention, with a field-defining program embedded within Metro North. With 57 randomised trials, 360 peer-reviewed publications and $32 million in funding, she has mentored and supported numerous clinician researchers. Her findings have changed international policy and practice, reduced preventable intravenous catheter complications, unnecessary procedures, healthcare costs and environmental waste. As an NHMRC Leadership Fellow, Deputy-Director of the Herston Infectious Diseases Institute and founder of AVATAR, she has built an enduring research capacity at MN and had substantial impact on knowledge and patient care globally.
Finalists
- Professor Norm Morris
- Professor Zarnie Lwin OAM
