Sydney Health Partners Celebrates Excellence with 2025 Annual Awards  

Professor Garry Jennings, former Executive Director, Sydney Health Partners and Professor Steve Wesselingh, CEO, National Health and Medical Research Council led the Forum’s award ceremony. 

The Awards celebrate the achievements of early career researchers, clinician researchers, and for the first time, consumer partners in research who have made important contributions to clinical and health research in SHP’s priority areas. 

Congratulations to the 2025 Annual Award winners: 

Award for Translational Research Addressing a Health Priority 
Dr Lisa Kouladjian O'Donnell was honoured for her groundbreaking work tackling polypharmacy—a global health challenge. Her research has shaped policy, informed clinical guidelines, and reached thousands of clinicians, earning national and international acclaim. 

Award for Clinical Trial Excellence 
Dr Hannah Withers received recognition for the REFORM trial, which evaluated remotely delivered physiotherapy for musculoskeletal conditions. The trial spanned three local health districts and showcased the strength of collaborative research between the Kolling Institute and The University of Sydney. 

Award for Consumer Involvement in Health Research 
Dr Mouna Sawan was celebrated for her partnership with a 22-member alliance to reduce medication harm in older adults with dementia. Her work co-designed medication literacy resources and developed a framework for engaging people with dementia and their carers in research. 

Award for Researcher-Health Professional Collaboration Across the SHP Partnership 
Dr Kelsie Boulton was recognised for building partnerships with over 80 clinicians to embed digital data platforms into clinical workflows. Her efforts led to the creation of the Sydney Child Neurodevelopment Research Registry, which now holds data on more than 3,500 children. 

Award for Using Research to Change Health Practice 
Dr Kylie Hunter’s research revealed that parent-focused obesity prevention programs did not improve children’s BMI at age two. Her findings have prompted policy shifts at NSW Health and the World Health Organization, reshaping early childhood obesity strategies. Due to overseas travel, Kylie’s award was accepted by Dr Jonathan Williams.

Award for Consumer Contribution to Health Research 
Emma Bonser was honoured for her leadership and advocacy within SHP’s Genomics & Precision Medicine Clinical Academic Group. As a consumer partner, she has guided equitable genomics access for patients and families across multiple projects. 

Sydney Health Partners congratulates all the winners and looks forward to watching the continued impact of their exemplary work.  

The 2025 Annual Forum was not only a celebration of SHP’s decade-long journey but also a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of research when it is shaped by collaboration.  

Read more about the 2025 Annual Forum here.  

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