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A program unfolding in four very diverse locations across Western Australia is working to give children aged 0–4 the best start in life.
Not too long ago, if you had mentioned physical activity to educators at the Sonas Early Learning & Care centres run by Shelley Prendergast, they would automatically have reached for the trusty old obstacle course.
Aboriginal families and communities have endured the imposition of countless ‘solutions’ and had to live with the consequences of these ineffective initiatives. Those consequence are sadly evident in the unrelenting gap in outcomes for Aboriginal kids, compared with other Australian children.
In 1998, The Kids Research Institute Australia embarked on one of the most ambitious population health projects in Western Australian history.
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Proteomics confirms immune stabilizing effects of narrowband UVB treatment in patients with clinically isolated syndrome and multiple sclerosisMultiple sclerosis (MS) demonstrates a latitude gradient in prevalence and severity, implicating ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure and photoimmune mechanisms in disease risk and progression. While narrowband (NB)-UVB phototherapy has long stabilized inflammation in dermatology, its systemic immunomodulatory effects in MS remain incompletely defined.
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Vitamin D and SunlightIn a sunny country such as Australia, it’s important to identify how to achieve the right amount of sun exposure for good health. We need to be able to harness the benefits of vitamin D and sunlight while remaining protected from the proven dangers of too much UV radiation.
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Achieving cultural safety in genetic counseling for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in AustraliaGlobally, Indigenous people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, experience significantly poorer health outcomes than their non-Indigenous counterparts. In part, this can be attributed to the ongoing impacts of colonization, marginalization, and systemic discrimination. In the genomic healthcare era, Indigenous people remain underrepresented in public genetic health services, raising concerns about cultural competency and inclusivity within the genetic counseling profession.
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Microbiota-derived butyrate promotes a FOXO1-induced stemness program and preserves CD8+ T cell immunity against melanomaA range of microbiota species correlate with improved cancer outcomes in patients and confer protection in pre-clinical mouse models. Here, we examined how microbiota regulate CD8+ T cell immunity against melanoma. Spontaneous control of cutaneous melanoma in mice correlated with metabolic pathways required for microbial synthesis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) shared between several microbiota species.
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Development of the Breastfed Infant Oral Microbiome Is Associated with Concentrations and Intakes of Human Milk OligosaccharidesHuman milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are bioactive carbohydrates abundant in human milk that shape the infant gut microbiome, yet their influence on the oral microbiome remains poorly understood. This study investigated associations between HMO concentrations and infant HMO intakes and the composition of the oral microbiome in predominantly and exclusively breastfed infants.
In close partnership with Aboriginal Elders and community members in Western Australia's south-west, we created ‘Kaal Tackles Eczema’, a children’s book to help Aboriginal families manage eczema. Our research showed a high prevalence and need for culturally relevant resources. The book uses Noongar language and art to educate and reduce infections, and is available online and in schools.