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Announcing our 2025–2026 Osteopathy Australia Spark grant awardees

Spark Grants provide up to $20,000 in funding to support independent, high‑quality research that advances osteopathy, builds research capacity, and enables projects to develop into larger‑scale studies with meaningful professional and societal impact.

 

Dr Jack Feehan, RMIT

Lead investigator

Project title: Community led interventions in primary falls prevention: A co-design implementation study

This project will co design a practical community pathway to identify falls risk early for older people living at home. Working with older people, carers, and health professionals, the pathway will support early assessment and referral, including balance and mobility checks, medication and bone health review, exercise programs, vision and hearing checks, and basic home safety actions. The project will deliver a ready to pilot model with clear referral processes, staff training materials, and outcome measures, designed to work equitably across diverse and regional communities. 


Kate Burke, RMIT

Lead investigator

Project title: Clinical Decision Making and Interprofessional Care in Infant Osteopathic Practice (0–2 years): An interpretative phenomenological study

Summary: This project will explore how osteopaths make clinical decisions, collaborate with other child health professionals, and communicate with families in the care of infants aged 0–2 years. Using audio diaries and semi structured interviews with osteopaths, allied health professionals, and families, the study will identify key themes related to clinical reasoning, communication, ethics, and interprofessional care. Findings will inform evidence informed guidance for safe, family centered infant osteopathic practice and support clear referral and collaboration pathways.