Two Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) projects that aim to better deliver vaccines and monitor adverse events have received accolades.

MCRI Dr Sedigh Khademi Habibabadi and the Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre (MVEC) were each presented with a GSK Immunisation Award at the Communicable Disease and Immunisation Conference.

The awards include a $20,000 project boost and an additional $3,000 to present their latest results at next year’s conference.

Ms Khademi Habibabadi was recognised for her study which found that artificial intelligence (AI) can improve detection of vaccine adverse events through social media monitoring.

Image: Dr Gerado Luis Dimaguila, Chris Palmer, Dr Sedigh Khademi, Dr Hazel Clotheir and Dr Muhammad Javed

She found that applying AI techniques to social media vaccine-related conversations increased identification of genuine health complaints and showed social media could be a valuable data source for detecting mentions of vaccine side effects almost in real-time.

It also demonstrated that analysing online conversations about vaccine-related personal health experiences could provide early warning about emerging vaccine safety issues.

The MVEC team was awarded for their new eLearning module which aims to train immunisation providers in intradermal (ID) vaccine administration, a unique injection technique where a vaccine is administered just below the skin. 

This vaccine administration method can be used for specific vaccines and requires lower doses, which can be helpful during vaccine shortages.  

The eLearning module was designed to improve confidence and capability in ID vaccine administration and equip healthcare providers with the skills to safely deliver this vaccine method.

Image: MVEC's Rachael McGuire, Alice Black and Lois Tham

MVEC’s Rachael McGuire, who accepted the award on behalf of the team, said the $20,000 project boost would fill the current gap in access to training in this technique and increase patient access to vaccines that require administration via this route.

Based at MCRI, MVEC is a national leader in vaccine safety education, known for producing trusted, evidence-based resources for health professionals and the public.

The GSK Immunisation Awards, delivered in partnership with the Public Health Association of Australia, celebrate standout initiatives that improve vaccine access, safety and equity across Australia.