Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI)

04/11/2025

We're thrilled to be a beneficiary of the ASX Refinitiv Charity Foundation Raffle 2026!

With nearly $30,000 in prizes up for grabs, including a brand new Mazda2 Automatic Hatchback, MacBook Air with M4 chip, and Apple Watch Series 10, this is your chance to win big while supporting charity partners across Australia, including our research at HMRI.

You can purchase raffle tickets here:
https://okt.to/IJ546M

The raffle will be drawn in March 2026.

03/11/2025

A heartfelt thank you to Alana, Rochelle, Kristy and Kathleen for organising Saturday's Together4Teal Ladies Day at Bartholomew's!

This dedicated friendship group raised an incredible $27,500 for ovarian cancer research at HMRI. The event brought together shared personal journeys and a research update from The University of Newcastle, Australia Professor Nikola Bowden from the HMRI Equity in Health and Wellbeing Research Program.

Over four T4T Ladies Days, they've now raised $91,790 for ovarian cancer research. Your support means local research stays local - creating hope right here in the Hunter for individuals and families affected by ovarian cancer.

Thank you for your continued dedication to our community!

31/10/2025

Last night's male infertility forum brought together researchers, fertility specialists, and a full house at NEX Newcastle ready to tackle male reproductive health.

Thank you to Nick Allen-Ducat (Ducko) for sharing his personal fertility journey, and to Dan Repacholi MP for championing male health advocacy. Thanks to the clinicians and researchers from HMRI and The University of Newcastle, Australia, Distinguished Emeritus Professor John Aitken, Dr Andrew Hedges, Dr John Schjenken, Dr Elizabeth Torres Arce, Dr Aleona Swegen, and Nathan Burke, for providing evidence-based insights on everything from s***m health to emerging treatments, and to HMRI's Carol Duncan for hosting the evening.

Male factors are involved in 50% of infertility cases affecting 1 in 6 couples, yet they remain underrepresented in public discussion. The packed room and thoughtful questions from the audience showed just how much appetite there is for evidence-based information on this topic.

Thank you to Royal Society of NSW for making this forum possible, and to everyone who came to be part of broadening this conversation.
Here's to continuing the conversation and breaking down the stigma around male fertility.

30/10/2025

Infertility affects 1 in 6 couples worldwide, and male factors are responsible in about 50% of cases - something that is not talked about enough. It's time to break the silence, remove the stigma and broaden the conversation about infertility.

Ducko will be joined by infertility and reproduction experts Dr John Schjenken, Dr Eliza Torres-Arce, Dr Nathan Burke, Dr Aleona Swegen, Laureate Professor John Aitken and Dr Andrew Hedges at this important community forum tonight, hosted by the Royal Society of NSW.

Learn more and register here https://www.royalsoc.org.au/events/hunter-branch-meeting-2025-4/

'Males don't like to speak about things too much, particularly s***m and testosterone.'

29/10/2025

Our favourite kind of Friday morning! ☕🌊🔬

Dixon Park was the perfect spot to celebrate Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) Medical Research Week® with our community at Sip on Science. Thanks to everyone who joined us for coffee, Pilates, and conversations about the research changing lives right here in the Hunter!

Shoutout to our incredible researchers from The University of Newcastle, Australia and Hunter New England Local Health District, plus Sunnyboy Kiosk, Grace Movement Pilates, and ABC Newcastle .

28/10/2025

Today is World Stroke Day, a reminder that stroke can happen to anyone, at any age, and that every minute counts when it does.

Get to know just some of our local researchers at HMRI, the University of Newcastle, Australia and the Hunter New England Local Health District working to improve stroke prevention, treatment and recovery — from developing innovative new therapies to supporting survivors on their journey back to health.

This World Stroke Day, take a moment to learn the F.A.S.T acronym:
🙄 Face - does one side of their face droop or is it numb?
💪 Arms - can they raise their arms, is one arm weak or numb?
🗨️ Speech - is speech slurred?
⏱️ Time - Stroke is an emergency. Every minute counts. Call 000 immediately if the above symptoms occur.

Knowing this can save a life, whether it be your own or a someone else's.

27/10/2025

Science, sunshine and a side of Pilates — what better way to celebrate Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) Medical Research Week®! 🌊

We can't do what we do without our community and it was wonderful to connect down at Dixon Park last Friday morning for our annual Sip on Science event.

It was a great opportunity for our researchers and team to share more about our work and our mission to transform the health and wellbeing of our community here in the Hunter and beyond.

Big thanks to our researchers and staff for volunteering their time, Sunnyboy Kiosk for the amazing coffees, Grace Movement Pilates, ABC Newcastle and everyone who stopped by and spent the morning with us.

23/10/2025

Come down and say hi! We’re here until 10am this morning!

1233 ABC Newcastle Breakfast is broadcasting LIVE from HMRI's 'Sip on Science' event at Dixon Beach to celebrate National Research Week.

Come down, grab a coffee and meet some of our region's leading medical researchers ☕🔬

23/10/2025

Since 1998, HMRI has existed because of collaboration. Not just between researchers, health professionals, Hunter New England Local Health District and The University of Newcastle, Australia, but with our community who believed in what was possible when we work together.

For over 25 years, our work has been made possible by the unwavering support of people throughout the Hunter New England region and beyond. Individuals who've donated in honour of loved ones, small businesses rallying together for their community, and corporate partners investing in the health of current and future generations.

This video captures why so many choose to support medical research at HMRI. Their words remind us that collaboration and community support are what make breakthrough research possible.

This Australian Society for Medical Research Medical Research Week®, we're grateful for every supporter who helps us take healthy further.

22/10/2025

What's the difference between correlation and causation, and why does it matter? Dr. Madeleine Hinwood, a HMRI Senior Data Statistician and The University of Newcastle, Australia researcher, breaks it down with a simple example.

Ice cream sales and shark attacks both increase in summer, but ice cream doesn't cause shark attacks, the link is warmer weather. The same thing happens in health data. We see relationships between things, but they're not necessarily causal.

Take recent headlines about paracetamol use during pregnancy and autism. Some studies show correlations, but higher quality research that accounts for family factors shows no causal relationship.

Understanding the difference between a pattern and a cause helps us all make smarter decisions about our health. That's why our data statisticians at HMRI work to ensure research is interpreted accurately and rigorously, so our community gets reliable information they can trust.