2026 NHMRC e-ASIA Joint Research Program

Purpose and Program Overview

The 2026 NHMRC e-ASIA Joint Research Program supports Australian participation in multilateral health and medical research collaborations with partners across East and South-east Asia and the USA. It aims to strengthen scientific cooperation, build research capacity and generate outcomes that directly improve human health in the region, particularly in infectious diseases, immunology and advanced medical technologies.

NHMRC has allocated up to $4.5 million to support up to six grants, with a maximum of $750,000 for the Australian component of each successful project. The program primarily funds universities, medical research institutes and other NHMRC‑approved administering institutions, but it enables collaboration with industry, health services and international partners, which may be relevant for businesses engaged in medical research, biotechnology, diagnostics, digital health and enabling technologies.

The scheme sits within NHMRC’s broader International Engagement Strategy and Corporate Plan, focusing on long-term partnerships, joint calls and coordinated peer review across member organisations of the e-ASIA Joint Research Program. It is particularly relevant for Australian organisations seeking to lead or join consortium-based R&D projects with partners in Japan, the USA (for Topic 1), and several Southeast Asian economies.

Key Grant Details

• Grant amount or funding range:
  • Up to $750,000 (AUD) per successful Australian project component.​
  • Total NHMRC allocation of up to $4.5 million for up to six grants.​
• Application open and close dates (NHMRC e-ASIA 2026 GO8133):
  • Applications opened: 17 December 2025.​
  • Minimum data due in Sapphire: 18 March 2026, 5:00 pm ACT local time.​
  • The NHMRC application closes on 1 April 2026, 5:00 pm ACT local time.​
  • Common Application Form to e‑ASIA Secretariat due: 31 March 2026 (17:00 ICT, UTC+7).
• Eligible industries or business types:
  • NHMRC‑approved Administering Institutions (such as universities, MRIs and health research organisations) are the direct applicants.​
  • Businesses (e.g., biotech, medtech, digital health) may participate as collaborating partners where permitted by institutional and scheme rules, particularly in advanced medical research and enabling technologies.
• Required co‑contributions:
  • NHMRC funds only the Australian component; international collaborators are supported by their own agencies.
  • The guidelines do not explicitly state a mandatory cash co‑contribution from Australian administering institutions or industry partners, but institutional and partner contributions are commonly expected in collaborative international schemes; applicants should confirm this in the full grant guidelines and institutional policies.​
• Location/state/territory applicability:
  • Open to NHMRC‑approved administering institutions across all Australian states and territories.​
  • Projects must involve eligible international partners from participating e‑ASIA member organisations.

Priority Sectors

• Health research stream topics for the 15th call:
  • Infectious Diseases and Immunology, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
  • Advanced Medical Research and Enabling Technologies, including technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and digital tools to improve diagnosis, treatment and health outcomes.
• These topics align with sectors such as human health and medical research, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, vaccines, diagnostics, bioinformatics, digital health, medical AI, medical devices, and enabling data and platform technologies.

Funding Scope

• Minimum and maximum amounts per project:
  • Maximum NHMRC contribution: $750,000 per grant for the Australian component.​
  • No minimum grant size is stated in the public overview; applicants should check the full grant guidelines and NHMRC Grant Guidelines (GO8133) for any internal lower limits.​
• Funding structure and streams:
  • Single Health Research stream under the e‑ASIA JRP 15th call, with two topics:
    • Topic 1: Infectious Diseases and Immunology (including AMR).
    • Topic 2: Advanced Medical Research & Enabling Technologies.
  • Funding supports the Australian component of a multilateral consortium project, with partner agencies funding their own national components.
• Project timeline and funding duration:
  • e‑ASIA JRP projects are generally funded for up to three years.
  • NHMRC notes that grants funded under the 2026 opportunity are for projects commencing from 2027, consistent with the call schedule and review timelines.​

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicant and administering body:
  • Only NHMRC‑approved administering institutions can submit and hold the grant.​
  • Chief Investigators must meet NHMRC eligibility rules, including the limit of one application per Chief Investigator for this opportunity.​
• Collaboration requirements:
  • Each application to the e‑ASIA JRP must involve at least three collaborating partners from participating member organisations, forming a multilateral consortium.
  • For Topic 1 (Infectious Diseases and Immunology), NHMRC requires that collaborations must include a principal investigator from at least one specified country (e.g., Indonesia and others listed in the national annex).
  • Australian participation must align with the e‑ASIA call text and relevant national annexes.
• Participating member organisations in this call (Health Research) alongside NHMRC:
  • Japan: Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).
  • USA: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) – Topic 1 only.
  • South-east Asia: Philippines Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST‑PCHRD), Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Thailand Program Management Unit for Human Resources & Institutional Development, Research and Innovation (PMU‑B), Vietnam Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), plus other participating e‑ASIA members listed in the call guidelines.
• Business structure, size, turnover, ABN/GST:
  • The NHMRC summary does not specify turnover thresholds or ABN/GST conditions beyond standard NHMRC institutional requirements; as Australian Administering Institutions operate under established governance and compliance frameworks, applicants must follow NHMRC standard funding rules, including insurance, ethical approvals and research governance obligations.
  • Businesses participating as collaborators should ensure appropriate contracting, IP arrangements, insurance and compliance consistent with NHMRC and institutional policies.

Eligible Activities and Expenses

Within NHMRC’s standard rules, the program supports the Australian component of collaborative health and medical research projects aligned with the two priority topics. Typical eligible activities for this type of NHMRC international collaboration scheme include:

• Personnel costs for research staff and support staff working on the Australian component (e.g. postdoctoral researchers, research assistants, data managers).
• Direct research costs such as consumables, laboratory materials, data collection and analysis, and research‑related software and services.
• Collaborative activities, including scientific workshops, meetings and travel, are necessary to deliver the multilateral project (subject to current NHMRC travel and expenditure policies).
• Development and evaluation of interventions, diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics, digital tools or enabling technologies in line with the e‑ASIA Health Research call (e.g. AI‑enabled diagnostic platforms, infectious disease surveillance tools, clinical or public health studies).

Capital infrastructure and large equipment purchases are typically limited or excluded under standard NHMRC project funding unless explicitly allowed; applicants must confirm specific eligible and ineligible costs in the full 2026 NHMRC e‑ASIA Grant Guidelines and the NHMRC Funding Rules.

Assessment Process

• Competitive or entitlement-based:
  • The program is a competitive, peer‑reviewed grant opportunity.​
  • Proposals undergo coordinated assessment by NHMRC and the e‑ASIA JRP, including a joint review meeting and ranking process.
• Key evaluation and assessment stages:
  • NHMRC conducts eligibility checks for Australian collaborations and confirms compliance with scheme rules and institutional status.​
  • NHMRC undertakes peer review of applications submitted through Sapphire, assessing scientific merit, feasibility and alignment with topic priorities.​
  • Shortlisted Australian applications are submitted to the e‑ASIA Joint Review Meeting, which compiles a final ranking list and funding recommendations for consideration by the e‑ASIA Board.
  • NHMRC then finalises funding recommendations and approvals for the Australian components.​
• Underlying assessment criteria:
  • While the public summary does not list detailed scoring criteria, applicants can expect assessment against project merit and innovation, significance and potential health impact, research team capability and collaboration quality, methodological rigour and feasibility, and value for money, consistent with NHMRC’s usual project grant practices and the e‑ASIA call guidelines.

Recent Program Updates

• The 2026 NHMRC e‑ASIA Joint Research Program (GO8133) represents NHMRC’s participation in the 15th call of the e‑ASIA Health Research stream, expanding the scope from earlier rounds that focused solely on Infectious Diseases and Immunology to now also include Advanced Medical Research and Enabling Technologies.
• NHMRC has increased the indicative funding envelope compared with the 2025 NHMRC e‑ASIA round, moving from up to $3 million for four grants in 2025 to up to $4.5 million for six grants in 2026.
• A key change for 2026 is that each chief investigator is restricted to submitting a maximum of one application to this grant opportunity.​
• NHMRC also specifies additional collaboration conditions for Topic 1, requiring inclusion of a principal investigator from at least one of the specified countries (e.g. Indonesia) to strengthen regional capacity in infectious diseases.

Application Tips

• Confirm institutional and scheme eligibility:
  • Ensure the Australian administering institution is NHMRC‑approved and confirm internal deadlines well ahead of the NHMRC minimum data and final submission dates.
  • Verify that the proposed topic clearly aligns with either infectious diseases and immunology (including AMR) or advanced medical research and enabling technologies as defined in the e‑ASIA call text.
• Structure a strong multilateral consortium:
  • Secure at least three eligible collaborating partners from participating e‑ASIA member organisations and confirm that each partner’s national funding agency is participating in the relevant topic.
  • Agree early on leadership roles, governance, data sharing, IP arrangements and publication plans so these can be reflected clearly in the proposal.
• Align with government and program priorities:
  • Highlight how the project will address regional health challenges, strengthen East Asia–Australia research ties and contribute to AMR mitigation or advanced medical technologies where relevant.
  • Demonstrate clear pathways to health impact, translation or policy relevance, matching the emphasis in the call text and NHMRC’s International Engagement Strategy.
• Demonstrate capability, outcomes and value:
  • Provide evidence of the track record and complementary expertise of each partner, including existing collaborations, prior funding and relevant outputs.​
  • Present a realistic budget for the Australian component that reflects efficient use of up to $750,000, with clear justification of personnel, research costs and collaboration expenses.
• Manage process and timelines:
  • Start drafting the Common Application Form and the Sapphire application in parallel, ensuring consistency between national and e‑ASIA submissions.
  • Build in time for institutional review, ethics and governance sign‑offs, and internal quality assurance of the proposal narrative and budget.

Where to Get Help

Consider consulting a specialist grant advisory firm such as Pattens Group for a personalised eligibility assessment and expert assistance in preparing a strong, compliant and competitive application for the 2026 NHMRC e‑ASIA Joint Research Program. A specialist can assist with strategy, consortium structuring, document preparation and review against NHMRC and e‑ASIA requirements. For official guidelines, application details, templates and further information, applicants should refer to the NHMRC webpage for the 2026 NHMRC e‑ASIA Joint Research Program and the e‑ASIA JRP 15th Health Research call documents.