Ramsay Newsroom

The awards recognise clinicians, researchers and hospital teams advancing research and helping translate new ideas into better care for patients and communities.

Ramsay Health Care Managing Director and CEO Natalie Davis said Australia’s largest private hospital network had an important role to play in supporting research and accelerating improvements in patient care.

“Our size and reach mean we can connect researchers and clinicians across our hospitals, support research in a wide range of specialties and give more patients the opportunity to participate in clinical trials,” Ms Davis said.

“Research gives our clinicians the opportunity to test new approaches, build the evidence behind better care and offer patients access to promising new treatments.”

Ramsay Health Care Head of Research, Innovation and Integrated Care Nicola Ware said the 2026 recipients demonstrated the breadth and impact of research underway across Ramsay.

“The research recognised this year is incredibly diverse, but what it has in common is a clear focus on improving care and outcomes for patients and communities,” Ms Ware said.

“From new approaches to cancer treatment to better ear health screening in remote communities, these projects show the impact research can have on real health challenges.”

Lake Macquarie Private Hospital medical oncologist Dr Nick Zdenkowski received the Ramsay Research Advocate Award for his work supporting clinical trials, new investigators and research education at the hospital and across the region.

Professor Jane Fisher received the Ramsay Hospital Research Foundation (RHRF) Research Impact Award for a project bringing together Ramsay’s Masada Private Hospital and the Tresillian Family Care Nepean Centre to better understand and improve outcomes from early parenting programs.

Associate Professor Narinder Singh received the RHRF Community Partnership Award for DrumBeat.ai, which is using artificial intelligence to improve access to ear disease screening and diagnosis for Aboriginal children in rural and remote communities.

Sunshine Coast University Private Hospital medical oncologist Dr Michelle Morris received the Ramsay Research and Development Network (RRDN) Research Impact Award. Dr Morris is leading a world-first clinical trial for advanced solid tumours investigating a treatment that harnesses a patient’s immune system to fight cancer while delivering chemotherapy directly to the tumour.

Westmead Private Hospital, led by Andrew Spillane, was named RRDN Site of the Year for its commitment to growing research and building a sustainable research culture.

Since launching in November 2025, the Ramsay Research and Development Network has grown to 20+ sites across Australia, supporting over 480 clinical trials and clinical research projects and 220+ active clinician researchers. Ms Ware said Ramsay was continuing to expand its research capability, creating more opportunities for clinicians to lead research and patients to participate in it.

“Research is happening in our hospitals every day, led by clinicians who are looking for new and better ways to care for their patients,” she said.

“Our focus is on growing that research culture across Ramsay, supporting more clinicians to turn their ideas into research and giving more patients the opportunity to benefit from the treatments and models of care being investigated.”