Burnet Institute Co-Program Director, Maternal and Child Health, Professor Caroline Homer AO, has been appointed to the Council of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

Professor Homer joins Burnet Director and CEO Professor Brendan Crabb AC – who’s been appointed for a second three-year term – on the 15-member Council, which supports the NHMRC’s critical role in shaping and supporting research to address current and future health issues in Australia.

Two-thirds of the Council appointees are women, demonstrating the strong leadership of female health and medical researchers and advocates, with a broad range of expertise and experience to call on to support CEO, Professor Anne Kelso AO.

The NHMRC is responsible for the provision of evidence-based advice to governments and the community, national frameworks to uphold the highest ethical standards in health care and research.

Professor Homer, who joined Burnet from University of Technology Sydney in August, is a leading midwifery researcher with international reputation as a scholar, clinician and leader in maternal and newborn health care and service delivery.

The new and returning members of the Council of the NHMRC are:

• Professor Bruce Robinson AM, Council Chair
• Professor Ingrid Winship, Chair, Australian Health Ethics Committee
• Professor Steve Wesselingh, Chair, Research Committee
• Professor Sharon Lewin, Chair, Health Translation Advisory Committee
• Dr Katherine Woodthorpe AO, Chair, Health Innovation Advisory Committee
• Professor Sandra Eades
• The Hon Judi Moylan AO
• Professor Brendan Crabb AC
• Professor Ian Frazer AC
• Professor Ingrid Scheffer AO
• Dr Michael Gannon
• Professor Caroline Homer AO
• Professor Maree Teesson AC
• Professor Carol Pollock
• Professor Alison Venn