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ANZPRA Early Career Researcher (ECR) Award

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Looking to build new research collaborations, learn new techniques or expand your research experience? The ANZPRA ECR Award is here to help!

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The ANZPRA Early Career Researcher (ECR) Award supports two early career researchers from different institutions to work together, develop new skills and establish or strengthen research collaborations within the placental research community. The award provides funding for ECRs to visit another laboratory or research group to learn new techniques, exchange expertise and/or advance collaborative research projects.  Importantly, the award offers an opportunity for ECRs to gain valuable experience in developing collaborative research proposals, preparing grant applications and building professional relationships that can support their future research careers.

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Why apply?

 

The ANZPRA ECR Award offers an opportunity to:

  • Build collaborations: Connect with researchers from other institutions and establish new research partnerships.

  • Develop new skills: Learn specialised techniques, access expertise and gain experience in different research environments.

  • Strengthen your track record: Gain practical experience in developing a research proposal and managing a funded project.

  • Expand your professional network: Build connections within the Australian, New Zealand and international placental research community.

 

You don't need to have an established collaboration to get started! If you are interested in applying but are unsure who to collaborate with, we encourage you to connect with fellow researchers at the upcoming SRB conference and ANZPRA satellite. These provide an excellent opportunity to meet potential collaborators, exchange ideas and develop a project together. 

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Award details and eligibility

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  • Award value: Up to AUD $2,500.

  • Career stage: Both applicants must be MSc/PhD students or within five years of receiving their PhD (or highest degree).

  • Membership: At least one of the two ECR applicants must have been a financial member of ANZPRA for at least 12 months.

  • Supervisor and host support: Applications must be developed in consultation with the applicant's supervisor or mentor. The proposed visit and its objectives must also be discussed with and supported by the host laboratory or research team before submission.

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How to apply

 

We encourage all eligible ECRs to consider applying, including those who may be preparing a collaborative funding application for the first time.

Applications close Friday, 27 November 2026, at 5:00 pm AEDT (Melbourne time).

Please submit your completed application by email to anzplacentalresearch@gmail.com.

Applications will be assessed promptly, with successful applicants notified in December 2026, before the Christmas break.

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Ready to apply?

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Please see the full award guidelines and application form here for further details.

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We look forward to supporting the next generation of placental researchers and the exciting collaborations this award will help develop!

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Past awardees​

  • 2025: Elliot Neal (University of Queensland) visiting Lucy Bartho (University of Melbourne) to work on their project titled 'Using selenium to prevent placental and endothelial dysfunction caused by thyroid autoimmunity in pregnancy'.

  • 2024: Dayna Zimmerman (University of Queensland) visiting Ashley Meakin (University of South Australia) to work on their project titled: 'Understanding the effects of metformin treatment during pregnancy on placental and systemic steroid concentrations'.

  • 2024: India Brooker (University of Newcastle) visiting Anya Arthurs (University of Adelaide) to work on their project titled: 'Understanding the consequences of placental angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 deficiency for placental function'.

  • 2023: Rebecca Brady (University of Queensland) visiting Natasha de Alwis (University of Melbourne) to work on their project titled: Investigating the effect of thyroid antibodies on migration and function of first trimester placental cells. 

  • 2023: Amy Garrett (University of Auckland) visiting Bianca Fato (University of Melbourne) to work on their project titled: Assessing the role of gap junctions in the initiation of labour using primary ex vivo models of myometrial contractility.

  • 2022: Sarah Delforce (University of Newcastle) visiting Wei Zhou (University of Melbourne) to work on their project titled: The ultimate collaborative organs: the decidua and the placenta. 

  • 2022: Joshua Fisher (University of Newcastle) visiting Anya Arthurs (Flinders University) to work on their project titled Investigating placental metabolism across gestation.

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ANZPRA New Investigator Award

Each year, ANZPRA awards the ANZPRA New Investigators Award to the best oral presentation at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Reproductive Biology (SRB) by a member who is a postgraduate student or within two years of receiving their PhD. In 2026, this award will be values at $1,000 AUD. 

 

Eligibility criteria are as follows: 

- For PHD/MD Students (2nd year and above) and PhD/MD Graduates: Applicants must be ANZPRA members for at least 6 months prior to applying.

- For Honours students, MSc students and 1st year PhD students: Applicants must be ANZPRA members at the time of submission of the application

 

The award will be given on the basis of the quality of presentations at the meeting and will be judged by the ANZPRA Awards Committee which is comprised of representatives of the ANZPRA Executive and a member of the SRB Awards Committee. The award will be presented at the SRB/ANZPRA Conference gala dinner.

Awards will not be made if, in the judges' opinion, eligible presentations are not sufficiently meritorious. In order to be considered for the ANZPRA New Investigators Award, new investigators must tick the ANZPRA box when submitting their abstract.

Past awardees

  • 2025: Elliot Neal, University of Queensland

  • 2024: Stacey Savin, University of Adelaide

  • 2023: Bianca Fato, University of Melbourne

  • 2022: Claire Richards, University of Technology Sydney & Evangeline Lovell, University of Adelaide

  • 2021: Anna Boss, University of Auckland

  • 2020: Meaghan Griffiths, Monash University

  • 2019: Sarah Delforce, University of Newcastle.

  • 2018: Yao Wang, Hudson Institute of Medical Research

  • 2017: Anya Arthurs, University of Newcastle

  • 2016: Jacinta Kalisch-Smith, University of Queensland.

  • 2015: Rachael Crew, University of Western Australia

  • 2014: Sophea Heng, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne

  • 2013: Dr Fiona Brownfoot, University of Melbourne

  • 2012: Kirsten Palmer, University of Melbourne

  • 2011: Georgia Kafer, University of Queensland

  • 2010: Chez Viall, University of Auckland for "Trophoblast antiphospholipid antibody internalisation by a β2 glycoprotein I-anionic phospholipid-megalin complex."

  • 2008: Ami Chui, University of Melbourne for "Homeobox gene  DLX3 regulates forskolin-induced trophoblast differentiation".

  • 2007: Gyathri Rajaraman, University of Melbourne for "Homeobox gene HLX1 is a mediator of HGF-stimulated trophoblast migration."

  • 2006: Joanna James, University of Auckland, for "The effects of oxygen concentration and gestational age on extravillous trophoblast outgrowth from first trimester villous explants."

  • 2005: Damien Hewitt, University of Western Australia for "Placental expression of secreted frizzled-related protein (SFRP4) in the rat: association with beta-catenin localization and regulation by glucocorticoids."

 

IFPA Awards

Each year IFPA (ANZPRA's parent organisation) distributes a number of awards to researchers of all levels, many associated with invited presentations at the IFPA annual meeting. 

 

For full details of these awards, and which awards are on offer in any given year, please visit: http://www.ifpa.epineux.com/awards

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For awards specifically relating to the IFPA 2025 meeting in Erfurt, Germany, please visit www.ifpa2025.org/awards

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