Skip to content

Project Spark – For the first time in history, we have a chance to restore life-changing function to Australians with spinal cure injuries.Find out more

Funding the best and brightest minds to find a cure

Building a strong ecosystem of spinal cord injury research

This funding crisis doesn’t just affect individual researchers. It threatens Australia’s entire spinal cord injury research ecosystem.

Without adequate investment, we’re at risk of losing decades of expertise, established collaborations, and the momentum that could lead to breakthrough treatments being developed right here at home.

The harsh reality is this: insufficient funding doesn’t just send researchers overseas, it shrinks the entire field. Fewer scientists means fewer breakthrough ideas, less collaboration, and slower progress toward a cure. Without adequate support, innovative research with strong translational potential — the kind that could lead to real therapeutic outcomes — may never make it out of the lab.

Each researcher we lose represents years of expertise walking away from the 20,000+ Australians who need their dedication. Your contribution to SpinalCure directly counters this exodus, building the critical mass of brilliant minds needed to solve this challenge.

CURRENT RESEARCH FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

The I.Peter Farrell SPINALCURE FELLOWSHIP

This $1.5 million award supports an outstanding early/mid-career researcher undertaking innovative research which takes steps towards a cure for spinal cord injury. This Fellowship is in honour of the late I.Peter Farrell.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants will investigate novel ways to restore and/or protect communication between brain and body after a spinal cord injury, or to enhance our understanding of the spinal cord, thereby advancing the field of cure-related research. Basic science and pre-clinical projects are particularly encouraged.

At the time of submitting their application, the candidate must be an early career, postdoctoral researcher with between three and ten years of research experience, relative to opportunity, since the awarding of their PhD (that is, the date on which their PhD was approved by the board of graduate studies).

  • At the time of acceptance and for the duration of the Fellowship, candidates must either be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident of Australia, or hold an appropriate visa enabling employment in Australia for the term of the Fellowship.
  • Candidates must not have tenure or equivalent.
  • If successful, the candidate shall spend a minimum of 80% of their FTE time on research relating to the fellowship application.
  • Candidates must submit an ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) identifier with their application
  • Former recipients of the Fellowship are not eligible.

Eligible Host institutions are defined to be those approved as National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Approved Administering Organisations. Candidates must nominate a single Host institution to be responsible for the management of the grant.  A Funding agreement will be made between SpinalCure Australia and the nominated Host institution of the successful candidate.

HOW TO APPLY
APPLICATION FORM
APPLICATION FORM

THE FORWARD fellowship

A new partnership with Forward Ability Support, the Forward Fellowship is a three-year appointment designed to fast-track bold, high-impact research into spinal cord injury.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants will investigate novel ways to restore and/or protect communication between brain and body after a spinal cord injury, or to enhance our understanding of the spinal cord, thereby advancing the field of cure-related research. Basic science and pre-clinical projects are particularly encouraged.

At the time of submitting their application, the candidate must be an early career, postdoctoral researcher with between three and ten years of research experience, relative to opportunity, since the awarding of their PhD (that is, the date on which their PhD was approved by the board of graduate studies).

  • At the time of acceptance and for the duration of the Fellowship, candidates must either be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident of Australia, or hold an appropriate visa enabling employment in Australia for the term of the Fellowship.
  • Candidates must not have tenure or equivalent.
  • If successful, the candidate shall spend a minimum of 80% of their FTE time on research relating to the fellowship application.
  • Candidates must submit an ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) identifier with their application
  • Former recipients of the Fellowship are not eligible.

Eligible Host institutions are defined to be those approved as National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Approved Administering Organisations. Candidates must nominate a single Host institution to be responsible for the management of the grant.  A Funding agreement will be made between SpinalCure Australia and the nominated Host institution of the successful candidate.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants will investigate novel ways to restore and/or protect communication between brain and body after a spinal cord injury, or to enhance our understanding of the spinal cord, thereby advancing the field of cure-related research. Basic science and pre-clinical projects are particularly encouraged.

At the time of submitting their application, the candidate must be an early career, postdoctoral researcher with between three and ten years of research experience, relative to opportunity, since the awarding of their PhD (that is, the date on which their PhD was approved by the board of graduate studies).

  • At the time of acceptance and for the duration of the Fellowship, candidates must either be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident of Australia, or hold an appropriate visa enabling employment in Australia for the term of the Fellowship.
  • Candidates must not have tenure or equivalent.
  • If successful, the candidate shall spend a minimum of 80% of their FTE time on research relating to the fellowship application.
  • Candidates must submit an ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) identifier with their application
  • Former recipients of the Fellowship are not eligible.

Eligible Host institutions are defined to be those approved as National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Approved Administering Organisations. Candidates must nominate a single Host institution to be responsible for the management of the grant.  A Funding agreement will be made between SpinalCure Australia and the nominated Host institution of the successful candidate.

APPLICATION FORM

Applicants will investigate novel ways to restore and/or protect communication between brain and body after a spinal cord injury, or to enhance our understanding of the spinal cord, thereby advancing the field of cure-related research. Basic science and pre-clinical projects are particularly encouraged.

At the time of submitting their application, the candidate must be an early career, postdoctoral researcher with between three and ten years of research experience, relative to opportunity, since the awarding of their PhD (that is, the date on which their PhD was approved by the board of graduate studies).

  • At the time of acceptance and for the duration of the Fellowship, candidates must either be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident of Australia, or hold an appropriate visa enabling employment in Australia for the term of the Fellowship.
  • Candidates must not have tenure or equivalent.
  • If successful, the candidate shall spend a minimum of 80% of their FTE time on research relating to the fellowship application.
  • Candidates must submit an ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) identifier with their application
  • Former recipients of the Fellowship are not eligible.

Eligible Host institutions are defined to be those approved as National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Approved Administering Organisations. Candidates must nominate a single Host institution to be responsible for the management of the grant.  A Funding agreement will be made between SpinalCure Australia and the nominated Host institution of the successful candidate.

APPLICATION FORM

Applicants will investigate novel ways to restore and/or protect communication between brain and body after a spinal cord injury, or to enhance our understanding of the spinal cord, thereby advancing the field of cure-related research. Basic science and pre-clinical projects are particularly encouraged.

At the time of submitting their application, the candidate must be an early career, postdoctoral researcher with between three and ten years of research experience, relative to opportunity, since the awarding of their PhD (that is, the date on which their PhD was approved by the board of graduate studies).

  • At the time of acceptance and for the duration of the Fellowship, candidates must either be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident of Australia, or hold an appropriate visa enabling employment in Australia for the term of the Fellowship.
  • Candidates must not have tenure or equivalent.
  • If successful, the candidate shall spend a minimum of 80% of their FTE time on research relating to the fellowship application.
  • Candidates must submit an ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) identifier with their application
  • Former recipients of the Fellowship are not eligible.

Eligible Host institutions are defined to be those approved as National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Approved Administering Organisations. Candidates must nominate a single Host institution to be responsible for the management of the grant.  A Funding agreement will be made between SpinalCure Australia and the nominated Host institution of the successful candidate.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY AND STAY UP-TO-DATE

Subscribe for updates, news, events, and community resources.