The Kids Research Institute Australia

Alarming new data from The Kids Research Institute Australia paints a worrying picture of the global #malaria crisis, highlighting the urgent need for increased funding to prevent a surge in cases and deaths. Modelling by the Malaria Atlas Project (MAP) team, led by Professor Peter Gething - Professor in Epidemiology at The Kids Research Institute Australia and Curtin University - and Dr Tasmin Symons, with contributions from Professor Nick Golding, shows even at current funding levels there could be an additional 112 million malaria cases and 280,000 deaths over the 2027-2029 period. Pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable. A funding cut could worsen this to 137.2 million cases and 337,000 deaths worldwide. The research was presented at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly last month. Visit https://lnkd.in/gFEiHdif for more information. #TheKidsResearchInstituteAustralia | #TheKids | #UNGA79

Three researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia and The University of Western Australia will pursue innovative research aimed at diagnosing rare diseases more efficiently and improving immunotherapy for cancer treatment, after receiving Innovation Fellowships supported by the WA Government’s Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund. 🎉 Head of the Translational Genetics team at The Kids, Dr Vanessa Fear, will use a protocol developed to solve the mystery of Northam girl Charlotte Patterson’s condition to assess the genetic variants of hundreds more patients living with undiagnosed disease. Thanks to the new protocol, she will be able to undertake the analysis in under 12 weeks – a process which previously took up to five years. Postdoctoral cancer researcher Dr Mariana Lizeth Orozco Morales, based at the WA Kids Cancer Centre at The Kids, and biological leader at Setonix Pharmaceuticals, will use funding from the Fellowship to work on a new therapeutic approach to improve responses to immunotherapy in cancer treatment. With her team, she will further investigate the mechanism of a protein that negatively affects the immune response to eliminate cancer cells. Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Tao Wang, also based at the WA Kids Cancer Centre, will use his Innovation Fellowship to improve the efficiency of immunotherapy in treating cancer, using innovative RNA-based immune adjuvants that can mimic viral infection and help induce immunity. His goal is to develop a WA-centred RNA-based clinical trial, to bring hope to patients with immune-resistant cancers that are currently incurable. For more on their projects see the article👇 https://lnkd.in/gFCr5Yx3

Five researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia have been awarded 2024 Early Career Child Health Researcher Fellowships, in partnership with BrightSpark Foundation, WA’s Future Health Research and Innovation Fund (FHRI), and the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation. Announced today by Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson, these three-year fellowships provide financial support and mentorship, paving a strong pathway for WA-based PhD graduates. Congratulations to our recipients: - Dr Minda (Mohinder) Sarna - Dr Sonia McAlister - Dr Renee Ng - Dr August Mikucki - Dr Jacinta Saldaris Thank you to our funding partners for their ongoing investment in children’s health research. Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Read more below 👇 https://lnkd.in/gc68mCCs

Congratulations to our infectious diseases researchers, Professor Christopher Blyth and Professor Asha Bowen OAM, who have been elected as Fellows of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. 🎉 Professor Blyth has played a key role in shaping international immunisation and infection prevention policy, including guiding the launch of Australia’s first-ever respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for young babies.   Professor Bowen’s research has significantly advanced the understanding of skin health for Aboriginal children in remote communities. This prestigious recognition reflects their exceptional contributions to health and medical research. The University of Western Australia

The Kids Research Institute Australia welcomes the appointment of a new Research Expert Committee to provide strategic advice to the Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund Advisory Council and the Department of Health.   Developed by the Roger Cook Government, the Research Expert Committee comprises eight esteemed health and medical research professionals from across WA universities, medical research institutes, and health services including The Kids researchers Professor Asha Bowen OAM, Professor Britta Regli-von Ungern-Sternberg and Professor Bep Uink.   Congratulations to all involved.   Read the Minister's press release here: https://lnkd.in/grCkCu7x   Murdoch University | The University of Western Australia | Child and Adolescent Health Service

Professor Alex Brown, a Yuin man and trailblazer in Indigenous genomics research, shared his inspiring journey and dedication to empowering Indigenous communities in a recent interview with National Indigenous Television, NITV. While medicine wasn't initially part of Professor Brown's plan, his decision to pursue it turned out to be a ‘really good choice,’ he tells NITV. This pivotal moment ultimately propelled him to the forefront of Indigenous genomics. Professor Brown champions the importance of empowering Indigenous communities to make informed decisions regarding their own genetic research. He strongly believes Indigenous leadership is crucial for ensuring their voices are heard and their rights protected. His groundbreaking work was recently recognised with a well-deserved fellowship from the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering (ATSE). Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gabH5QdA Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) Australia | #TheKidsResearchInstituteAustralia | #TheKids | #IndigenousGenomics | #AboriginalHealth

Children’s Week (18 – 27 Oct) is a time to champion the rights of children, including their right to a clean and safe environment. 🌍💚 Protect your child’s lung health with these valuable tips from Associate Professor Alexander Larcombe, Head of Respiratory Environmental Health at Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre – a powerhouse partnership between The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth Children’s Hospital and Perth Children's Hospital Foundation. Building on 30 years of experience, Wal-yan (the Noongar word for ‘lungs’) researchers are dedicated to preventing childhood respiratory illness and ensuring that all children have healthy lungs for life. Visit the website and discover how we’re helping kids breathe easier: https://lnkd.in/gnNfRu6D #TheKidsResearchInstituteAustralia | #TheKids | #LungHealth | #ChildrensWeek2024

A complex five-year experiment which cracked the code of a genetic mystery has paved the way for faster and more accurate diagnoses of the most rare and unknown diseases affecting children.   Scientists at The Kids Research Institute Australia, together with the Undiagnosed Diseases Program (UDP) and Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH), worked together to discover a long-awaited diagnosis for 10-year-old Northam girl Charlotte Patterson.   Using laboratory investigations and cutting-edge computational biology, they have discovered the cause of Charlotte’s symptoms is a variation on the MED12 gene.   As a result of the work, researchers believe they can apply the process to other cases, to diagnoses unknown diseases faster, and more accurately.   The quest to find the cause of Charlotte’s condition started in 2019 and was boosted in 2020 by a donation of more than $1.1 million raised at that year’s Channel Seven Telethon Ball. Discover Charlotte's story: https://lnkd.in/gey3dTcr Telethon7 | Timo Lassmann | Vanessa Fear | Gareth Baynam | Joshua Patrick

Last night trailblazing Aboriginal doctor and health researcher Professor Alex Brown, was inducted as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering (ATSE) during the 2024 ATSE Awards. This prestigious honour recognises his groundbreaking leadership in ensuring Indigenous peoples are at the forefront of national and international genomics efforts. We’re also thrilled to celebrate Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa, a partner in our Journey Together Initiative - a groundbreaking collaboration between communities, researchers and services - who won the Traditional Knowledge Innovation Award for their collaboration with the Martu People of the Eastern Pilbara. Guided by Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa and ethnoecologist Dr Fiona Walsh, the groundbreaking project wove together traditional knowledge with environmental surveying and engineering methods. You can find out more about Journey Together here: https://lnkd.in/gcCgsj4M..

Five researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia will share in almost $3 million in grants to continue ground-breaking research to tackle childhood cancer, asthma prevention, lung disease and chronic ear infections. The funding is part of a $16 million boost for the WA Child Health Research Fund (WACRF) with grants of up to $600, 000 each awarded to a diverse range of projects. The successful recipients include Associate Professor Anthony Kicic (The Kids and Curtin University) Associate Professor Rishi Kotecha (The Kids and Curtin University), Dr Shannon Simpson (The Kids and Curtin University), Associate Professor Kathryn Ramsey (The Kids and The University of Western Australia and Dr Ruth Thornton (The Kids and The University of Western Australia). The Kids Executive Director Professor Jonathan Carapetis congratulated the award recipients and expressed his thanks to the WA Government for funding the diverse range of projects. Telethon7