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Research

A widespread G2P[4] rotavirus epidemic in rural and remote Australia provided an opportunity to evaluate the performance of Rotarix and RotaTeq rotavirus vaccines, ten years after their incorporation into Australia's National Immunisation Program.

Research

A multi-country randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) F-protein nanoparticle vaccine was undertaken in 4,636 pregnant women and their infants. RSV F-protein vaccine was safe and immunogenic in the pregnant women inducing anti-F IgG, palivizumab-competing antibodies and RSV neutralizing antibodies that were transferred to the fetus.

Research

To identify barriers to influenza vaccination of children hospitalised for acute respiratory illness in Australia. A total of 595 parents of children hospitalised with acute respiratory illness across five tertiary hospitals in 2019 participated in an online survey. Multivariate logistic regression identified factors most strongly associated with influenza vaccination barriers. 

Research

The P3-MumBubVax intervention is feasible and acceptable in the Australian public antenatal setting

Research

Atopic diseases are the most common chronic conditions of childhood. The apparent rise in food anaphylaxis in young children over the past three decades is of particular concern, owing to the lack of proven prevention strategies other than the timely introduction of peanut and egg.

Research

Despite significant progress in reaching some milestones of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, neonatal and early infant morbidity and mortality remain high, and maternal health remains suboptimal in many countries. Novel and improved preventative strategies with the potential to benefit pregnant women and their infants are needed, with maternal and neonatal immunization representing effective approaches.

Research

There remains a general misconception that the immune status of the fetus and neonate is immature or insufficient. However, emerging research in immune ontogeny prompts reconsideration of this orthodoxy, reframing this period instead as one of unique opportunity. Vaccine responses (qualitative and quantitative) vary between individuals, and across demographic cohorts. Elements of baseline immune status and function predict vaccine response - some of these factors are well described, others remain a subject of ongoing research, especially with the rapidly expanding field of 'omics' research, enabled by development of highly granular immune profiling techniques and increasing computational capacity.

Research

Current infant vaccination against pertussis in North America and Australia requires three doses of vaccines including diphtheria, tetanus and acellular...

People

Head, Vaccine Trials Group

Research

Population-level studies of severe pertussis extending beyond infancy are sparse, and none in the context of antenatal vaccination. We compared hospitalized pertussis cases from birth to 15 years of age before and after introduction of antenatal immunization.