We’re absolutely thrilled to share that UCRH PhD student Jane Linton, is part of a team named as a finalist in the 2025 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes, Australia’s most prestigious science awards. Jane is part of the incredible project team behind Staying Strong with Arthritis, nominated in the Aspire Scholarship Eureka Prize for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research.
Jane is a Gumbaynggirr woman and a physiotherapist. She lives and works on Country, and her research focuses on chronic musculoskeletal conditions like arthritis and back pain, with a strong commitment to improving access to care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The Staying Strong with Arthritis project is a standout example of what happens when communities, clinicians, researchers and artists come together. The project is led by Dr Brooke Conley, a Ngiyampaa woman based at the University of Melbourne who led the project as part of her own PhD work.
The team co-created the first clinically and culturally informed arthritis education resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including a website, brochures and videos that promote living well with arthritis. These resources are already being used in clinics and health services across northern NSW and beyond, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
Jane’s involvement in the project began when she connected with Associate Professor Ivan Lin, a well-known rural researcher in musculoskeletal health. At the time, Jane was working in an osteoarthritis service and dreaming of starting an outreach clinic at her local Aboriginal Medical Service. That conversation sparked a genuine connection and Jane was invited to join the Staying Strong team, contributing to data analysis and helping develop the educational resources. Her clinical experience and cultural perspective brought a unique and valuable lens to the project.
Since then, Jane has gone from strength to strength. She’s now working on her PhD with UCRH supervisors Associate Professor Chris Williams, Associate Professor Veronica Matthews and Associate Professor Emma Walke. Her research builds on the Staying Strong project, aiming to improve the quality of osteoarthritis care for Aboriginal people and communities. She’s passionate about making sure research is done well, and done in a way that respects and reflects Aboriginal perspectives.
We’re very proud of Jane. Being part of a finalist team for the Eureka Prizes is a huge honour, and a well-deserved recognition of the impact her work is having. The winners will be announced on 3 September at a ceremony in Sydney.
Congratulations Jane.
