The Snow Medical Research Foundation (Snow Medical) has announced a new $24 million investment in three outstanding Australian biomedical researchers through its prestigious Snow Fellowships.

The fellowships will support Associate Professor Sudarshini Ramanathan from the University of Sydney, Dr Deborah Burnett from UNSW, and Dr Ira Deveson from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research.

These Fellows will tackle major global health challenges spanning autoimmune disease, neurological disorders, and genetic disease. Their work addresses conditions that disproportionately affect vulnerable and underserved populations, including First Nations communities, while advancing precision medicine and translational care. Collectively, their research aims to deliver safer vaccines, better diagnostics, and more equitable genomic and neurological healthcare.

The investment further strengthens New South Wales as a global hub for biomedical research, bringing Snow Medical’s total investment in the state to $128 million, with $89.5 million committed in the past year alone.

Each Snow Medical Fellowship provides $8 million over eight years, enabling exceptional scientists to pursue ambitious long-term research programs, build world-class teams and tackle complex scientific challenges.

Chair of Snow Medical Research Foundation, Tom Snow, said the fellowships reflect the Snow family’s commitment to backing bold scientific ideas and supporting outstanding young researchers and clinicians. 

“Our family believes some of the most important breakthroughs in science happen when talented researchers are given the confidence to pursue ambitious ideas over the long term,” Mr Snow said.

“These fellowships are designed to remove some of the constraints researchers often face, giving them the freedom, time and resources to take risks and explore ambitious questions that could fundamentally change how we understand and treat disease.” 

“We are tremendously proud to support this high-calibre next generation of Australian scientific leaders and their teams and help build an environment where world-class research can thrive.”

“Great science requires courage, curiosity and persistence. By providing long-term support and also investing in the development of our Fellows and their teams, we’re helping create the conditions where truly innovative research can flourish.”

Associate Professor Sudarshini Ramanathan is a neurologist and clinician scientist whose work focuses on autoimmune neurological disorders. Her research has helped identify new neurological syndromes and improve diagnostic tools and treatments for patients with autoimmune diseases affecting the brain, spinal cord, muscles and nerves. Associate Professor Ramanathan’s work aims to reverse disabilities in these patients through the use of targeted therapies.

"The Snow Fellowship will enable our team to translate laboratory discoveries in autoimmune neurology into improved diagnostics and treatments, positioning Australia as a global leader in this rapidly evolving field. This fellowship provides an extraordinary opportunity to accelerate research that can transform the lives of people affected by devastating neurological diseases worldwide,” Associate Professor Ramanathan said.

Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney, Professor Mark Scott said: 

“I congratulate Associate Professor Ramanathan and her team on this important recognition of their outstanding research. The Fellowship enables their life-changing research on autoimmune neurology to be fast-tracked to benefit countless lives in Australia and beyond.  

“I applaud the Snow Family and Snow Medical's long‑term investment in strengthening Australia’s biomedical research capability."

Professor Ramanathan is the University’s second Snow Fellow, joining Professor Arnold Ju, in the Faculty of Engineering, who researches development of a micro-device that monitors and alerts people at risk of a heart attack or stroke. 

The other Snow Fellowship Recipients are: 

Dr Deborah Burnett – UNSW

Dr Deborah Burnett is an immunology researcher working to improve vaccine effectiveness against infections that can trigger autoimmune disease.

“The Snow Fellowship will enable my team to develop new approaches to safer, more effective vaccines and therapies for infections that can trigger unintended autoimmune diseases, helping better protect vulnerable communities,” Dr Burnett said.

Dr Ira Deveson – Garvan Institute of Medical Research

Dr Ira Deveson is a genomics researcher whose work focuses on developing and applying advanced genomic sequencing technologies to better understand human genetic diversity and improve diagnosis and treatment of inherited disease. His program is helping unravel the genetic diversity of Australia’s Indigenous populations to ensure equity in genomic medicine.

“I’m thrilled and humbled to be awarded a Snow Fellowship. It is a wonderful recognition for my team and will allow us to expand our research to a major national program, partnering with Indigenous communities around the country to build equitable genomics resources. This fellowship is a true gamechanger that will accelerate the delivery of genomic medicine,” Dr Deveson said.

The next Snow Fellowship application round opens on April 9th, 2026. 

Main image: L to R: Tom Snow, Professor Victoria Cogger, Professor Jane Bleasel, Associate Professor Sudarshini Ramanathan, Georgina Byron AM, Professor John Prins and Professor Russell Dale. Photo: Richard Freeman/ University of New South Wales.