HMRI draws together more than 700 researchers, research students and research support staff from Hunter New England Health, the University of Newcastle and Calvary Mater Newcastle, who are working to improve the health of the community across seven key research programs:

• Brain and Mental Health;
• Cancer;
• Cardiovascular Health;
• Information Based Medicine;
• Public Health;
• Pregnancy and Reproduction; and
• Viruses, Infections/Immunity, Vaccines & Asthma (VIVA).

Within the HMRI Research Programs, Hunter researchers are developing more effective diagnostic, treatment and preventative measures, translating scientific advances into better clinical practice, competitive commercial products and improved health care guidelines.

HMRI facilitates the integration of research into clinical care, fostering productive collaborations and relationships between biomedical, clinical and public health researchers.

HMRI Research Programs receive infrastructure funding from the NSW Office for Science and Medical Research through the NSW Medical Research Support Program and the NSW Department of Health through the NSW Capacity Building Infrastructure Grant Program.

These funding programs support essential research infrastructure; including research salaries, technology platforms and services, and research equipment. This enables the Hunter region to consistently deliver nationally and internationally significant research.

HMRI Research Programs also receive charitable funding from the community through the fundraising efforts of the HMRI Foundation, PULSE and the Hunter Children’s Research Foundation (HCRF). The philanthropic funding supports HMRI project grants, scholarships, fellowships, travel grants and exchanges, and the HMRI awards for research excellence.

HMRI affiliated researchers participate and are engaged in various formal research networks, operating at a local, state and national level, including:

• PANIC Network (focusing on physical activity and nutrition in inflammatory chronic diseases);
• NSW Paediatric Research Network (assessing pharmaceutical clinical trials in children and paediatric research);
• NSW Neuroscience Research Network; and
• NSW Cardiovascular Research Network.

HMRI is also represented nationally at Neurosciences Australia Pty Ltd.