Monash Health Research & Innovation Week 2026 showcases healthcare research and innovation

It was the first time since the COVID-19 hiatus that Monash Health’s research community had come together in person for Research & Innovation Week, while online participation continued to connect colleagues and collaborators, including from overseas. 

‘This week is about showcasing and celebrating all the work that we do here with our industry partners, our collaborators, researchers, students and the community,’ said Associate Professor Tam Nguyen, Director of Research and Innovation. 

A snapshot of research across Monash Health 

The scale of the week reflected the strength and diversity of the research community. 

More than 800 people registered to attend in person and over 1,000 online, with 93 speakers across 20 sessions.  

The program included panels, lightning talks, workshops and innovation competitions, as well as 63 research posters highlighting work from across Monash Health. 

The research itself spanned the breadth of healthcare. 

Sessions explored women’s and children’s health, mental health, newborn and paediatric care, ageing, allied health and emerging research.  

Researchers also shared insights into clinical trials, redesigning clinical practice, intellectual property and the practical steps involved in taking an idea from the starting point to implementation. 

Looking ahead, sessions examined artificial intelligence, big data and health, medical technology, surgical innovation, new approaches to care and the future of work. 

Together, they painted a picture of research that reaches from the laboratory to the bedside and across every stage of life. 

‘This week has been great because we have had a lot of different disciplines coming together,’ Associate Professor Tam said. ‘There has been a lot of sharing of best practice, insight and collaboration.’ 

Connecting research across disciplines 

One of the strengths of the week was the opportunity to discover research happening outside familiar specialties and departments. 

For clinicians and researchers, those connections can be particularly valuable when starting or developing a research project. 

Seamus Heanue, a basic physician trainee, knows this from experience. His project, Age and Sex Differences in the Circadian Distribution of Acute Coronary Syndrome, won the Emerging Researcher Fellowship 2025. 

Speaking on the Emerging Researcher Fellowship panel, Seamus reflected on one of the challenges facing doctors-in-training who want to get involved in research. 

‘There are a lot of doctors in training who get involved in research, and I think a lot of them don’t know what’s out there in terms of resources they can use to do that research,’ he said. 

‘That includes collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, nursing staff and also just being able to draw from the Electronic Medical Record (EMR).’

Dr Kirsten Furley, paediatrician and clinical research fellow, also highlighted the value of connecting across specialties. 

‘It was an excellent opportunity to showcase what Monash Health clinicians and researchers are working on. It is very hard to keep abreast of what is happening across specialties and departments,’ she said. 

Dr Furley presented her research on transforming care for children with developmental regression. 

‘This is unique in that it brings together a lot of different specialty interests and activity. I think this is a really exceptional foundation to build from and work collaboratively,’ she said. 

For researchers, these connections can be the starting point for new ideas, partnerships and approaches to complex healthcare challenges. 

Looking to the future 

Research & Innovation Week also provided an opportunity to consider how emerging technologies will change healthcare. 

At the AI, Big Data & Health community conversation, experts brought together different perspectives on the opportunities and challenges created by rapidly evolving technology. 

For Monash University student Zach Peeters, hearing those perspectives together was one of the highlights. 

‘My biggest takeaway was that in such a diverse and agile space, having core defining principles can keep us on the right path rather than constantly adapting to a changing technological landscape,’ he said. 

It was a fitting discussion for a week focused not only on what healthcare looks like today, but on what it could look like tomorrow. 

Building what comes next 

Research & Innovation Week 2026 showcased the people, ideas and partnerships behind research at Monash Health, and the potential to turn that work into meaningful change. 

From newborns to older people, from clinical practice to the laboratory, and from early-stage ideas to innovation, the week demonstrated the breadth of research taking place across the health service. 

‘It is about community engagement and our collaboration with industry partners as we grow our footprint in research, not only here but globally,’ Associate Professor Tam said. 

With a strong research community, growing collaboration and a shared focus on better outcomes, Research & Innovation Week provided both a celebration of what has been achieved and a glimpse of what comes next. 

Thank you to everyone who presented, participated, collaborated and supported Research & Innovation Week 2026. 

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