The Centre will enhance Australian clinical immunisation research and training, focussing upon clinical questions with translatable outcomes not easily addressed by industry. Optimal immunisation and interventions to maximise uptake of existing and new vaccines in high risk patient groups, such as children with cancer, immigrants, children with chronic diseases and adolescents will be studied. New vaccine trials, innovative use of existing vaccines, systematic collection of vaccine failure data, ....The Centre will enhance Australian clinical immunisation research and training, focussing upon clinical questions with translatable outcomes not easily addressed by industry. Optimal immunisation and interventions to maximise uptake of existing and new vaccines in high risk patient groups, such as children with cancer, immigrants, children with chronic diseases and adolescents will be studied. New vaccine trials, innovative use of existing vaccines, systematic collection of vaccine failure data, and targeted epidemiology and disease modelling vaccine preventable disease will also allow a broad program of research, enabling training and mentoring of young clinical nurse and physician researchers. Collaborations with existing national immunisation, infectious diseases and research institutions will allow maximal effectiveness of clinical studies.Read moreRead less
This fellowship aims to reduce youth suicide via an integrated research program delivered across North West Melbourne. It’s objectives are to: 1) Improve the care provided to young people who present to emergency departments with self-harm 2) Increase capacity of young people and school staff to recognise and respond to risk; and 3) Reduce suicidal behaviour among those at risk through delivering novel online interventions in specialist clinical settings.
Prevalence Of Challenge-proven Food Allergy And Predictors Of Severe Adverse Reactions To Food In Early Adolescence: SchoolNuts
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,196,852.00
Summary
Food allergy (FA) has risen to epidemic proportions in recent times and Australia has one of the highest rates in the world. FA is most common in children under 5 years, yet adolescents are at the greatest risk of death from food-related anaphylaxis. We don’t know why this is the case. Our research will describe FA prevalence and will assess the factors placing FA adolescents at high risk of severe allergic reactions. Findings will influence policy for management of FA and anaphylaxis.
Genome-wide Association Study (GWAS) For Juvenile-onset Myopia And Its Component Measures To Identify Molecular Pathways To Prevent Myopia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$495,364.00
Summary
We will examine 2,000 young adults from the Western Australian Raine Cohort at the Lions Eye Institute / University of Western Australia. Ocular data will be collected relating to myopia (short-sightedness) and will be combined with extensive previous childhood and genetic research data collected on the Cohort, to investigate the genetic and environmental factors predisposing to myopia. This will assist in understanding the factors leading to myopia.
Developing Social Media Based Approaches To Youth Suicide Prevention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$319,831.00
Summary
This project aims to capitalise on the popularity and accessibility of social media by developing a suite of suicide prevention tools that can be delivered via these types of platform. Examples of interventions include mood tracking and safety-planning tools delivered as mobile phone apps, and personal stories (vox pops) delivered via platforms such as Facebook and/or YouTube. The project will engage young people in every stage of intervention planning, development and evaluation.
The prevalence of food allergy (FA) has risen dramatically in the last 20 years. Strong evidence suggests that undetermined lifestyle factors are central to this modern phenomenon. We will develop a CRE in Paediatric FA and Food-related Immune Disorders, providing international leadership in public health initiatives to stem the tide of FA and related disorders. We are uniquely placed to provide evidence-based guidelines that will inform public health policy and clinical care of patients.
Psycho-social Resilience, Vulnerability And Suicide Prevention: A Mentoring Approach To Modifying Suicide Risk For Remote Indigenous Students At Boarding School
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$860,497.00
Summary
There is not much evidence about what works in suicide prevention for Indigenous young people. This means that social and health services struggle to know where or how to invest their efforts to avert suicide risk. This study responds to the potential of increased suicide risk for Indigenous secondary school students who are compelled to transition from remote communities to boarding schools. It evaluates mentoring approaches that promote psycho-social resilience against suicide risk.
A Parent Education And Skills Training Intervention For Young Adolescents With Autism
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$436,500.00
Summary
Autism is a most severe and prevalent lifelong developmental disorder affecting approximately one in every thousand children and their families. Autism is associated with personal suffering and is a significant burden and stress for parents, families and carers and cost to the community. In earlier work we have demonstrated that providing a structured program of parent education and guidance to families with preschool children with autism leads to improved parental adjustment and mental health. ....Autism is a most severe and prevalent lifelong developmental disorder affecting approximately one in every thousand children and their families. Autism is associated with personal suffering and is a significant burden and stress for parents, families and carers and cost to the community. In earlier work we have demonstrated that providing a structured program of parent education and guidance to families with preschool children with autism leads to improved parental adjustment and mental health. The program also led to behavioural and developmental benefits for the child. The early secondary school years bring further stress and difficulty to adolescents with autism and their families. This project aims to assess the effectiveness of a parent education and training program for parents with autistic adolescents aged 12-14 years. If shown to be effective, this manual based intervention can be readily used by professionals to promote parent mental health, family adjustment and improve the wellbeing and outcome for adolescents with autism. As a result, family stress and the necessity of out of home care may be reduced and school participation improved.Read moreRead less