Telethon Kids Institute

We’re thrilled to announce that four Telethon Kids research leaders have been named as finalists in the 2024 Western Australian of the Year Awards. Paediatric oncologist and cancer researcher, Professor Nick Gottardo, is a finalist in the Professions category for his dedicated work in treating children with brain cancer and his relentless efforts to find gentler, more effective treatments. Professor Desiree Silva, a paediatrician and researcher, is also a finalist in the Professions category for her pioneering research into childhood development in Western Australia, particularly through The ORIGINS Project. Yamatji Elder and cultural governance advisor, Aunty Mara West is a finalist in the Aboriginal category in recognition of her four-decade career working to change perceptions of Aboriginal people and close the gap in health and social issues. Health consumer champion, Mitch Messer, is a finalist in the Community category for his 40-year career advocating for health consumers and bridging the gap between them, the health system, and policymakers. Congratulations to our finalists! Read more about their achievements here: https://lnkd.in/gQDX8phd The University of Western Australia | Child and Adolescent Health Service | Joondalup Health Campus | Nature Play WA | Celebrate WA | #WAOfTheYear | #WesternAustralia | #TelethonKidsInstitute

Researchers dedicated to developing the first cancer immunotherapy tablet have been boosted by a $374,000 CUREator top-up funding grant, through the Federal Government’s Medical Research Future Fund. The grant will allow Setonix Pharmaceuticals, a company spun out from the Telethon Kids Institute and The University of Western Australia, to continue its quest to develop an oral drug that boosts the immune response against cancer, potentially improving outcomes for patients. The team’s research, currently in the laboratory stage, has identified a protein that put a brake on the immune response to certain cancers. The aim is to develop a drug that will block that particular protein, which will release that brake on the immune system, allowing it to attack cancer cells. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/djBkKWww

Discovering why is what we do but we can’t do it without you! Your support enables our world-leading child health researchers to be bold in their work – asking and answering the big questions. Thanks to our community, breakthroughs have already been made, but there is still so much to do. Secure a happier, healthier future for Australian kids by supporting life-changing research. Please donate today: https://lnkd.in/gbRCZA-J #TelethonKidsInstitute | #EOFY | #Giving

Seven West Media showcased the work being led by Associate Professor Rishi Kotecha, co-head of the Telethon Kids Institute’s Leukaemia Translational Research team and consultant in clinical haematology and oncology at Perth Children's Hospital.   An immunotherapy drug has shown promising results in its ability to dramatically increase survival rates for babies with a rare form of leukaemia and the study has now been expanded to test a larger cohort of babies. The pilot study into the effectiveness of the drug called blinatumomab showed a strong signal for efficacy, with an almost 30% improvement in disease-free survival at two years from diagnosis – from 49.4% to 81.6%. Child and Adolescent Health Service | Telethon7 | #cancerresearch

Several special members of the Telethon Kids family were formally honoured at Government House WA this week after being recognised in the 2024 Australia Day Honours List for their outstanding service to research and the community. Western Australian Governor Chris Dawson presented physical activity researcher Professor Hayley Christian, AM, Elder cultural advisor Aunty Millie Penny, and epidemiologist Associate Professor Hannah Moore with their respective honours during investiture ceremonies. With Professor Christian and Aunty Millie made Members of the Order of Australia (AM), and Associate Professor Moore awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). Burns specialist Professor Fiona Wood was also recognised in this year’s Honours list, made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in recognition of her distinguished service to plastic and reconstructive surgery and medical research, and as a clinician scientist and mentor. We are thrilled to see these strong and talented women recognised and appreciated for their remarkable contributions to health and medical research and the WA community. To read more about their work, see here: https://lnkd.in/gH75xb_b. #AustraliaDayHonoursList | #Medicalresearch 

Associate Professor Andrew Shattock, from the Intervention and Infectious Diseases Modelling Team at Telethon Kids Institute and The University of Western Australia, led the research alongside the World Health Organization, with contributions from researchers from around the globe. “The collaborative efforts of countries around the world to implement the EPI has averted approximately 154 million deaths – significantly, around 146 million children under the age of five. The study found that for every death averted, 66 years of full health were gained, on average,” Dr Shattock said. Researchers at Telethon Kids Institute have helped map the global impact of life-saving vaccines over the last 50 years, for the anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) established by the World Health Organization in 1974. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gn6zz5EE #childhealthresearch | #immunisationsaveslives | World Health Organization (WHO)

We’re excited to welcome the Cook Government and Minderoo Foundation's $34.6 million boost for the Early Years Partnership, aiming to improve the development, health, and learning of children aged 0-4 years across its partner communities of Armadale, Central Great Southern, Derby and Bidyadanga. This funding injection will pave the way for improved access to early learning, early identification and intervention of developmental delay, and critical family support services to enable children's development and school readiness. With independent evaluation by Telethon Kids Institute, we're ensuring that this model can benefit all Western Australian families and communities. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/gp9cqVUD #AusGov |  #EarlyYearsPartnership | #ChildDevelopment | #CommunityInvestment

Four Telethon Kids Institute researchers have been awarded $8.8 million in prestigious Investigator Grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to pursue innovative child health research focused on autism, childhood cancer, skin health, and Aboriginal genomics. Investigator Grants – announced by Federal Health Minister Mark Butler today as part of $411 million in funding for 229 health and medical researchers across the country – provide the highest-performing researchers at all career stages with five years of secure funding to tackle Australia’s greatest health challenges. Congratulations to Professor Asha Bowen, Associate Professor Rishi Kotecha, Dr Sam Buckberry and Professor Andrew Whitehouse for being awarded this fantastic support to pursue your greater research goals! Read more about how the researchers will use these grants to develop their research visions: https://lnkd.in/gMDy3YaS And learn more about Minister Butler’s announcements about the Federal Government’s renewed approach to health and medical research funding here: https://lnkd.in/gbJdrHyx The University of Western Australia, Curtin University, @Perth Children’s Hospital & The Australian National University (ANU) #MedicalResearch | #InvestigatorGrants | #childhealthresearch

New international research led by Telethon Kids Institute has found global circulation of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is shaped by human air travel with travellers hosting new strains fuelling transmission across borders. The global study, recently published in Nature Communications, examined human movement patterns with surveillance data from 17 countries – over three RSV seasons – generated from the INFORM-RSV study and the World Health Organization’s Global RSV Surveillance Program “This study has shown that understanding the patterns of RSV variants means we have critical data that can help to inform RSV prevention strategies – like the recently announced Cook Government-funded RSV Immunisation Program rolling out in Western Australia this month.” – Co-author Peter Richmond   #RSV | Wesfarmers | Telethon7 https://lnkd.in/g-8vhMFR

In this video Assoc Prof Alexander Larcombe, Head of Respiratory Environmental Health with the Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre, shares his insights on the critical impact of #airpollution on our health, especially concerning unborn babies. “Air pollution doesn’t affect everyone evenly. There’s quite a bit of data now showing that mums breathing in things like particulate matter and other air pollutants can directly affect their health, but can also affect the unborn baby, meaning they might be born premature, they might be born small for their gestational age, and those things can lead to lifelong problems,” Assoc Prof Larcombe said. Kudos to RAC WA for championing cleaner air through initiatives like the RAC Air Health Monitor. Let's continue to raise awareness and take action for cleaner, safer air for all. The Wal-yan Centre is a powerhouse partnership between Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children's Hospital Foundation and Child and Adolescent Health Service. Find out more about the Wal-yan Centre’s environmental exposures research here Environmental Exposures | Our research https://bit.ly/4b764P0