Two leading researchers from the Australian Centre of Excellence in Melanoma Imaging and Diagnosis (ACEMID) have been awarded National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grants, securing five years of funding commencing from 2025 to continue their research in skin cancer prevention and early detection.
Professor Monika Janda (University of Queensland) and Professor Victoria Mar (Monash University) will lead individual projects that build on the ACEMID research program and directly respond to national priorities in skin cancer care.
Over the next five years, Professor Janda will apply her expertise in behavioural and implementation science to inform the evidence towards a risk-adjusted, targeted melanoma screening program, fully integrated with personalised primary prevention. This includes tailoring prevention efforts—such as sun protection education and behavioural interventions—based on an individual's risk profile. Her work will focus on identifying the most effective strategies for recruiting high-risk populations into the screening program, while also collaborating with regional communities across Australia to promote equitable access.
Professor Mar’s research will focus on using emerging technologies, including 3D total body photography and artificial intelligence, to enable a standardised approach to melanoma diagnosis - an area that currently lacks national consistency. Her data-driven work will support the development and validation of advanced diagnostic tools that improve accuracy and allow for quality of care monitoring across the system.
These NHMRC Investigator Grants recognise the national significance of the research being done at ACEMID and provide support to researchers developing the next generation of skin cancer prevention and detection strategies. They bring together experts in dermatology, general practice, pathology, statistics, artificial intelligence, image analysis, business, and marketing - working in close collaboration with consumers and key stakeholders.
