Announcing the Ainsworth 4 Foundation Future Leader Fellowship at WIMR

The Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR) is delighted to announce the Ainsworth 4 Foundation Future Leader Fellowship. This three-year Fellowship will support an outstanding early to mid-career researcher with international research experience to return to Australia and establish an independent research program at WIMR.

In keeping with the long-established focus of WIMR, the appointed Fellow will develop and establish an innovative research program using a Precision Medicine approach with the potential for significant impact on health outcomes.

Professor Philip O’Connell, WIMR Executive Director says, “We are very grateful to Paul and Valeria Ainsworth and their foundation for providing this opportunity and recognising the need to attract talented investigators back to Australia, ensuring the future of life-changing medical research in this country.

“With this Fellowship, WIMR reinforces its commitment to advancing medical science and improving health outcomes through innovative, patient-centred research.”

The Fellowship is offered to a researcher who graduated in Australia with a PhD (or MD with a postgraduate PhD equivalent) in a medicine-related field of science within 10 years of 1 February 2025 (unless Career Disruption applies).

Applicants must:

• Have a background in Medical Science or have a medical degree.
•  Be a citizen of Australia or New Zealand, or a permanent resident of Australia.
•  Have held a position as a post-graduate medical researcher outside of Australia for a period of a minimum of one (1) year.
• Be currently living overseas or have returned to Australia from overseas within 12 months of 1 February 2025.

Paul and Valeria Ainsworth said that there are many potential future leaders in the world of medical research but without backing, that potential can be lost.

“We are motivated to find and recognise those with special talents or capacities and to give them a chance to step up to new and innovative challenges,” they said.

“So, we are really pleased to help WIMR identify such a person, to support WIMR’s strategy and to help accelerate medical advancement and the democratisation of practical health outcomes for people everywhere – an inevitable outcome of the breakthroughs WIMR strives to achieve.”

For more information contact hr@wimr.org.au