Dr Lachlan Dalli from Monash University is a recipient of a 2025 Early and Mid-Career Researcher Award for Excellence for the Novel Use of Data. This award recognises early and mid-career researchers for excellence in their field. Monash Partners spoke to Lachlan upon accepting this award.
Can you tell us about yourself, your research and career journey to date?
I’m an epidemiologist and stroke prevention researcher from Monash University. My PhD and post-doc research over the past seven years has involved using large‑scale, linked health data to understand how stroke medications are prescribed, used, and how effective they are in real‑world clinical practice.
Can you tell us about your achievements in the category of Excellence for the Novel Use of Data?
I am very grateful for this award which recognises my contributions to stroke prevention research using large, linked health datasets. With support from national and international collaborators, I produced the first Australian estimates of medication adherence after stroke, finding one in three discontinue prevention medications within a year. I identified inequities across hospitals and patient groups—informing updates to clinical guidelines. Internationally, I co-founded INSPIRE-STROKE, an international network endorsed by World Stroke Organization to harmonise datasets for global surveillance of stroke. With international pharmacoepidemiologists, I developed TEN-SPIDERS, an EQUATOR-endorsed framework now used in 40+ studies to strengthen measurement of medication adherence. I also recently led the winning Data Challenge for the Global Cardiovascular Research Funders Forum, which has informed international methods for evaluating cardiovascular grant funding and outcomes.
Why is support of early and mid-career researchers so important?
Early- and mid-career researchers (EMCRs) make up nearly half of Australia’s health and medical research workforce and are critical to scientific discovery, mentorship of students, and growing the sector. However, EMCRs often face significant challenges: low funding success rates, highly competitive grants and short-term contracts. Many talented researchers leave the sector—not due to lack of passion or skill, but because the system makes stable careers difficult. Targeted support is essential. Fellowships, protected research time, and strong mentorship provides EMCRs with the stability and confidence to pursue bold ideas and develop independent programs.
What kind of support was the most beneficial to you/or you felt you needed as an early and mid-career researcher and what did it mean to you?
In my experience, the following three forms of support have been most beneficial to me as an EMCR:
- Mentorship
I have been fortunate to receive invaluable guidance from many exceptional senior researchers across Australia. Their encouragement to attend conferences, pursue awards, and take on leadership roles has shaped my development and given me confidence to pursue ambitious research ideas. - Funding Support
Fellowships from the National Heart Foundation and Jack Brockhoff Foundation provided protected research time, enabling me to explore new directions, build collaborations, and lead projects that would not have been possible otherwise. - Collaborations
Being part of national networks has expanded my research program and allowed me to expand my connections with new researchers and contribute to major initiatives.
Why do you think awards like this are important for Early and Mid-Career Researchers?
Awards like these are so important because they highlight and celebrate the impactful contributions of EMCRs at a formative stage of their careers. They help raise the visibility of innovative research and provide recognition that can open doors to new collaborations and leadership opportunities. This is critical for supporting and retaining emerging talent within Australia’s research sector.
What are your future aspirations for your research/career?
My aspiration is to harness health data on a global scale to transform stroke prevention and improve patient outcomes. Using these data, I will continue to evaluate whether medicines are being used safely, effectively, and equitably across the stroke care continuum. I also aim to work with consumers to apply these insights and co-design new interventions to improve prevention of stroke in the community. Most importantly, I look forward to mentoring EMCRs and students to support our collaborative research community.
