Three Newcastle researchers and a research team won HMRI excellence awards at an event at NEX in Newcastle West on Friday night.
The awards ceremony was held before an audience of donors, colleagues and community members.
Professor Zsolt Balogh, of HMRI's surgical research program, clinched the night's major honour for research excellence.
He won $20,000 for his research into better post-surgical outcomes for patients.
Professor Balogh is the trauma director at John Hunter Hospital and a surgery academic at University of Newcastle.
The director's award for mid-career research went to Associate Professor Matt Dun, for his research into DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma), an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Professor Dun won $20,000 for his research lab at University of Newcastle.
Dr Rachel Sutherland won HMRI's early career research award for her work in preventing childhood obesity through the SWAP It program, which helped parents swap junk food in lunch boxes for healthier options.
Dr Sutherland, nutrition program manager at Hunter New England Health, won $20,000 towards her research.
Professor Aaron Sverdlov and Professor Doan Ngo's cardio-oncology centre of excellence won HMRI's team excellence award for foundation research.
The team won $30,000 in prize money for their research into cardio-protective drug therapies for cancer patients.
HMRI CEO Professor Frances Kay-Lambkin said the awards "recognise the hard work, determination and commitment of these researchers in seeking answers to some of our biggest health challenges".
"I congratulate all the winners for their lasting impact on improving community wellbeing," she said.
