The WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub was delighted to host our first Spotlight event of 2026, ‘An Evening with John Van Der Wielen, Chair of the Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund Advisory Council’, last week. The event brought together researchers, innovators, clinicians and industry leaders from across WA’s biomedical ecosystem for an engaging fireside conversation exploring the past, present and future of the FHRI Fund.
The FHRI Fund provides a secure, perpetual source of support for health and medical research, innovation and commercialisation in WA. Backed by the State’s sovereign wealth fund, the FHRI Fund draws only on annual investment income, with capital preserved and increased through contributions linked to State royalty revenue.
Hosted by WALSIH’s Director Stakeholder Engagement, Dr Tracey Wilkinson, the discussion examined the evolution and impact of the FHRI Fund and reinforced the central importance of collaboration across government, academia, health services, industry and community partners (an emphasis that sits at the heart of the Fund’s strategy).
John reflected on his journey from London to WA and into the health sector through his tenure at HBF, sharing insights into the establishment of the FHRI Fund as the Inaugural Chair of the Advisory Council, his reflections on the Fund’s impact to date and his excitement about the Fund’s future vision.
The conversation highlighted the Fund’s role in positioning WA as a world‑class hub for health research and innovation, while supporting economic diversification, job creation and the long‑term sustainability of the health system. John also addressed several key themes shaping the Fund’s work over the coming years:
As highlighted during the event, in its new strategy, the FHRI Fund will be more targeted in its focus, primarily through its new flagship, Spotlight Program.
The Spotlight program brings WA’s health and medical research and innovation sector together around one bold, uniquely WA challenge each year, to drive lasting solutions with multi-year investment, cross-sector collaboration, and strong community engagement.
The 2025-26 focus area is Rheumatic Heart Disease. Up to $25M will be provided on a competitive basis to one applicant supported by a Spotlight Coordinating Team, in 2-stages. Applications close 11 March. Details.
If you’d like to learn more about upcoming Spotlight events or receive updates from the WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub, follow us on LinkedIn and join our mailing list!
