The Genetic Epidemiology Research Alliance is the first of its kind nationally and is being funded through a $2.5 million five-year grant from the Australian Government’s National Health and Medical Research Council.

The NHMRC announced a new Centre of Research Excellence in Genetic Epidemiology for Precision Population Health in October 2023. It was launched publicly in mid 2024 as the Genetic Epidemiology Research Alliance, based at the University of Melbourne and involving 15 organisations from Australia and around the world.

It is led by Dr Shuai Li, an NHMRC Emerging Leadership and Senior Research Fellow at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health.

GERA is conducting research on various diseases and disorders to investigate why they run in families, their genetic and environmental causes, and to better predict the risk of having them. The diseases and disorders to be investigated include cancers, mental health and respiratory health.

“The CRE is integrating knowledge of genetic epidemiology and population health to explain how genes and environment combine to influence our health, and how personalised management of health can be achieved,” Dr Li said.

“This centre is the first of its kind nationally and is supporting early-career researchers to be world leaders in genetic epidemiology and precision population health.”

NHMRC’s Centres of Research Excellence funding scheme supports clinical, health services and public health research that aims to improve health outcomes for Australians and promote the translation of research outcomes into policy and/or practice.

NHMRC CEO Professor Steve Wesselingh says the centres are an important part of the health and medical research system in Australia.

“They bring together outstanding researchers who work collaboratively to find innovative and practical solutions for better health,” he said.