Vaccine Trials Group

The mission of the Vaccine Trials Group is to improve the health of the community through immunisation and the prevention of infectious diseases.

The Vaccine Trials Group (VTG) team of doctors, nurses, researchers, scientists, students and phlebotomists is testing and evaluating the safety and effectiveness of new vaccines for a range of diseases, as well as monitoring vaccines.

The VTG was established in 2000 to provide a coordinated approach to the development, delivery, assessment and promotion of vaccines, infectious disease and allergy treatments in the community. The team plays a vital role in the development and evaluation of vaccines recommended for children and adults throughout Australia.

The VTG leads national studies focusing on a range of diseases including influenza,
pneumococcal, meningococcal, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and whooping cough.

Team leader

Peter Richmond

MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP

Head, Vaccine Trials Group

Team members (17)

Jennifer Kent

Clinical Research Manager

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Christian Tjiam

BSc BMedSc(hons) PhD

Honorary Research Associate

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Zoe Ellis

Clinical Laboratory Coordinator

Camille Gibson

Research Nurse

Heidi Hutton

Research Assistant

Jan Jones

Laboratory Research Assistant

Karen Jones

Executive Assistant

Sonia McAlister

Research Assistant

Kieran Veale

Research Nurse

Ushma Wadia

Clinical Research Fellow

Miriam West

Research Nurse

Kerrie Lisgaris

Research Nurse

Jonah Macliver

Laboratory Research Assistant

Shania Tansil

Laboratory Research Assistant

Chantalia Tedja

Laboratory Research Assistant

Christina Anthony

Research Nurse

Madeline Ong

Clinical Research Fellow

Vaccine Trials Group projects

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Featured projects

BCG vaccination to Reduce the impact of COVID-19 in Australian healthcare workers following Coronavirus Exposure (BRACE) Trial

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August 2020

ATOMIC Ears: A Phase IIB randomised controlled trial to assess safety, tolerability and acceptability of a 5-day Dornase alfa treatment as an adjunct therapy to ventilation tube insertion for otitis media in children

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August 2020

Other projects

Sore Throat Melbourne and Perth Study: The Australian Strep A Vaccine Initiative (ASAVI) Urban Pharyngitis Surveillance Study (STAMPS) COVALIA (COVid vaccine trial for austrALIA): A phase I, double-blind, dose-ranging, randomised, placebo-controlled trial to study the safety and immunogenicity of a DNA-based vaccine against COVID-19 (COVIGEN) in healthy participants aged 18 to 75 years o A phase IIIB, randomized, controlled, observer-blind study to evaluate safety and immunogenicity of GSK’s meningococcal ABCWY vaccine when administered in healthy adolescents and adults, previously primed with meningococcal ACWY vaccine (BOOST) A phase 3, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial toevaluate the efficacy and safety of a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prefusion F subunit vaccine in infants born to women vaccinated during pregnancy (Matisse) Safety and Immunogenicity of Early Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine: A phase 2prospective randomised open-label feasibility study (FluBub) A Phase 3, randomized, double-blind trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine given as a series of 2 infant doses and 1 toddler dose in healthy infants (NeXXstep) All Vaccine Trials Group projects

Past projects

The Long-term Impact of Serogroup B Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD) in Australian Adolescents and Young Adults: AMEND study A phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, active-comparator-controlled study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of V114 in healthy infants (PNEU-PED-EU-1) A Phase 3, Randomized, Observer-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Group-Sequential Study to Determine the Immunogenicity and Safety of a Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) F Nanoparticle Vaccine with Aluminium in Healthy Third-trimester Pregnant Women; and Safety A Phase II Randomized, Controlled, Observer-Blinded Study, Conducted to Describe the Immunogenicity, Safety, and Tolerability of a Neisseria Meningitidis Serogroup B Bivalent Recombinant Lipoprotein 2086 Vaccine When Administered to Healthy Toddlers Testing the meningococcal conjugate vaccine MenACWY-TT in toddlers Phase 2b Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of MEDI8897, a Monoclonal Antibody With an Extended Half-life Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus, in Healthy Preterm Infants TESTOV Pneumo A study to determine the safety and immunogenicity of 10-valent and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in Papua New Guinean children PneumoWA: A case-control study of the role of viral and bacterial pathogens in causing pneumonia among Western Australian children Study of an oral medication for infants hospitalized with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infection Efficacy, Immunogenicity, and Safety Study of Clostridium difficile Toxoid Vaccine in Subjects at Risk for C. difficile Infection

Vaccine Trials Group

News

Protecting children against food allergies

Reports and Findings

Impact of Meningococcal ACWY Vaccination Program during 2017-18 Epidemic, Western Australia, Australia

The rising incidence of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W in Western Australia, Australia, presents challenges for prevention. We assessed the effects of a quadrivalent meningococcal vaccination program using 2012-2020 IMD notification data.

Published research Skin Infections Aboriginal Health Infectious Diseases Infectious Disease Implementation Research Vaccine Trials Group Subsite: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases

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February 2025

The Impact of Obesity on Influenza Vaccine Immunogenicity and Antibody Transfer to the Infant During Pregnancy

Influenza vaccination is recommended for pregnant women, offering the dual benefit of protecting pregnant women and their newborn infants against influenza. This study aimed to investigate the impact of body mass index (BMI) on influenza vaccine responses in pregnant women and their newborns.

Published research Influenza Vaccine Trials Group Subsite: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Maternal health

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February 2025

Corrigendum to “A Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, active comparator-controlled study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of V114 compared

Published research Immunisation Vaccine Trials Group Subsite: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases

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February 2025

“We've wanted to vaccinate against it and now we can”: views of respiratory syncytial virus disease and immunisation held by caregivers of Aboriginal children in Perth, Western Australia

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of respiratory infection with a higher burden in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants and children. We conducted a pilot qualitative study identifying disease knowledge and willingness to immunise following the changing immunisation landscape for infant RSV in 2024.

Immunisation Infectious Diseases Ear and Hearing Health Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Vaccine Trials Group Subsite: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Respiratory viral infections

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January 2025

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