2026 Snow Fellowship recipients to receive $24m in biomedical funding

Australian biomedical researchers Dr Deborah Burnett from UNSW, Associate Professor Sudarshini Ramanathan from the University of Sydney and Dr Ira Deveson from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have been named the 2026 Snow Fellowship recipients, Snow Medical Research Foundation has announced. Designed to enable exceptional scientists to pursue ambitious long-term research programs, build world-class teams and tackle complex scientific challenges, each Snow Medical Fellowship provides $8 million over eight years.

Set to tackle major global health challenges spanning autoimmune disease, neurological disorders and genetic disease, the fellows’ work addresses conditions that disproportionately affect vulnerable and underserved populations, including First Nations communities, while advancing precision medicine and translational care. Collectively, their research aims to deliver safer vaccines, better diagnostics, and more equitable genomic and neurological health care.

“Our family believes some of the most important breakthroughs in science happen when talented researchers are given the confidence to pursue ambitious ideas over the long term,” said Tom Snow, Chair of Snow Medical Research Foundation. “These fellowships are designed to remove some of the constraints researchers often face, giving them the freedom, time and resources to take risks and explore ambitious questions that could fundamentally change how we understand and treat disease.

“We are tremendously proud to support this high-calibre next generation of Australian scientific leaders and their teams and help build an environment where world-class research can thrive,” Snow added. “Great science requires courage, curiosity and persistence. By providing long-term support and also investing in the development of our Fellows and their teams, we’re helping create the conditions where truly innovative research can flourish.”

Image: (L–R) Dr Deborah Burnett, Associate Professor Sudarshini Ramanathan and Dr Ira Deveson. Source: UNSW Sydney