News and updates from across the Clinical Trials Network.
ACTA 2025 Clinical trials and registries symposium
17-19 November, Crown Promenade, Melbourne
Celebrating its 10th year, the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA) 2025 Symposium is Australia’s premier event for advancing clinical trials and registries. Running over three days, it will feature a dedicated Registry Day, specialised workshops, and the theme “Driving change”, highlighting collaboration and innovation to shape the future of health research. Registration is now open.
EIS: Evidence and implementation summit 2025
27-29 October 2025, Melbourne
The EIS 2025 will be held in Melbourne from 27–29 October 2025, bringing together policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and funders to bridge the gap between evidence, policy, and practice. Hosted by the Centre for Evidence and Implementation, the biennial global summit focuses on turning research into real-world impact and will also feature a free virtual webinar series. Registration is now open.
CTN pilot grant scheme open for applications
The ANZCA CTN Pilot Grant Scheme is now open, offering up to A$10,000 to support pilot and feasibility studies in anaesthesia, pain medicine, and perioperative medicine. Applications close Monday 8 December, 5pm AEDT, with outcomes announced in March 2026. For further information or to request application documents, email Karen Goulding.
PROMPT master protocol endorsed by ANZCA CTN
The CTN has endorsed the Perioperative Medicine Platform trial (PROMPT), a major international perioperative platform trial. Using a Bayesian adaptive design, PROMPT will test a range of therapies and care approaches across multiple hospitals worldwide. The trial will include patients undergoing abdominal, cardiac, orthopaedic, obstetric and gynaecological surgery, with interventions detailed in domain-specific appendices. This endorsement highlights PROMPT’s potential to deliver practice-changing evidence and improve outcomes for surgical patients globally.
CTN media interview with Professor Tomas Corcoran
Professor Tomas Corcoran, chair of the Clinical Trials Network Executive was interviewed for the ABC Radio Adelaide Drive program on 6 August about the CTN and the Reduction Of Chronic post-surgical pain with Ketamine (ROCKet) trial.
Professor Paul Myles featured in TopMedTalk’s new Perioperative Profiles series
TopMedTalk has launched Perioperative Profiles, a new series highlighting the journeys of leading researchers in perioperative medicine. The first episode features Professor Paul Myles, who shares how his early career aspirations evolved into a passion for anaesthesia and research. He reflects on establishing landmark multi-centre studies and the ANZCA Clinical Trials Network. The conversation also touches on balancing career and family, the role of mentorship, and the future of perioperative research through adaptive platform trials.
Dr Matthew Bright wins 2025 Emerging Investigator Prize
Congratulations to Dr Matthew Bright, awarded the ANZCA CTN Emerging Investigator Prize at the 2025 Strategic Research Workshop for his study WAVELET-II: Individualised haemodynamic optimisation informed by the lower limit of cerebral autoregulation during PEARS surgery. The prize, supported by the ANZCA Foundation, recognises early-career researchers in anaesthesia, pain, and perioperative medicine, fostering innovation and academic excellence.
CTN satellite meeting focuses on Māori research principles and collaboration
On 10 August 2025 in Glenelg, SA, the CTN hosted a Trans-Tasman satellite meeting with 30 investigators from Australia and New Zealand. Sessions explored Māori research principles, ethics, and site sustainability, reinforcing CTN’s commitment to culturally grounded, collaborative research.
CTN launches new toolkit
The CTN has launched a new toolkit with more than 30 tailored resources to support trainees, fellows, investigators, and research co-ordinators. Covering trial readiness, career pathways, research development, and departmental sustainability, the toolkit is available via the CTN webpage and the ANZCA Institutional Research Repository (AIRR).
