Meet the 10 groundbreaking projects selected to transform Australia's heart health future

National Heart Foundation of Australia

Meet the 10 groundbreaking projects selected to transform Australia’s heart health future

Each Catalyst Partnership Grant Awardee will receive seed funding and Heart Foundation support to secure larger investments

The Heart Foundation is proud to announce the 10 recipients of its inaugural Catalyst Partnership Grants, awarded to pioneering researchers and innovators working to change the future of cardiovascular health in Australia and beyond.

From ending infections in remote communities to developing 3D-printed heart valves, the projects are distinctly varied with each reflecting the bold approach needed to tackle Australia’s leading cause of death and hospitalisation: cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Each Partner will receive $100,000 from the Heart Foundation in addition to support seeking further funding from philanthropy and other sources. Including impact investment and venture capital.

This initial funding has generously been supported generously by the Harold Muir Charitable Foundation to whom the Heart Foundation and its Catalyst partners are extremely grateful.

The 10 projects will also become part of the Heart Foundation’s new Innovation Portfolio which is designed to accelerate innovation to keep pace with the heart health challenges facing current and future generations of people in Australia.

The 2025 Catalyst Partnership Grant recipients are:

Springfield Healthy Hearts: a living lab for global heart disease action. Professor Lauren Ball, The University of Queensland (QLD)
Switch the salt to save your heart. Dr Kathy Trieu, The George Institute, UNSW, (NSW):
Smarter screening with lipidomics. Professor Peter Meikle, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute (VIC)
New solutions for blood vessel calcification screening. Professor Joshua Lewis, Edith Cowan University (WA)
Remote Laundries: Building stronger communities through washing. Elizabeth Morgan-Brett OLY Aboriginal Investment Group (NT)
Pioneering bioinspired heart valves . Associate Professor Abdul Ihdayhid, Corametix (WA)
Hybrid 3D-printed imaging device for precision heart care. Associate Professor Jiawen Li, University of Adelaide (SA)
Heart health in a box. Professor Girish Dwivedi, Lubdub (WA)
Mending our blood vessels to combat dementia. Professor Jenny Gamble, University of Sydney (NSW)
Regenerating the heart after a heart attack. Associate Professor Alex Pinto, Baker Institute (VIC)

For more information about each project please visit: www.heartfoundation.org.au/catalyst

Comments attributable to Heart Foundation CEO David Lloyd

“Despite decades of progress, cardiovascular disease still kills and hospitalises people in Australia at alarming rates.

“Australia desperately needs a catalyst for change to combat the new and emerging heart health threats – and the Heart Foundation’s 10 Catalyst Partners are aiming to achieve just that.

“This is our ‘sliding doors’ moment in Australia’s fight against cardiovascular disease: these 10 projects, if fully realised, would undoubtedly help people live better and longer lives while also reducing the disease burden on our healthcare system.

“Today’s announcement is only the beginning – we will now work alongside each project team to attract funding from a variety of sources so that we can unlock the full heart health potential of this program to save or improve more lives moving forward.”

ENDS

Contact details:

Shaun Inguanzo, Media Manager, Heart Foundation
M: 0404 769 054 E: [email protected]