Projects

Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) were pioneered in Victoria and therefore people conceived by IVF are now up to 40 years of age. There is a widely held belief that common adult onset disorders (particularly cardiovascular and respiratory diseases) begin in early life, possibly even before birth. Children born following the use of ART might therefore be in a specific risk category because of the techniques used to enable successful pregnancies. The aim of our research into young adults conceived by ART has been to investigate their long-term health outcomes. By undertaking surveys, various clinical assessments and epigenetic analyses, we have addressed a shortfall in knowledge. 1. Clinical review of the Health of 22-33 year olds conceived with and without ART (CHART study). Stage one of the study was called “Comparison of health and development of young adults aged 18 years and older, conceived with and without ART” and was conducted ...

Being a dad of young children can be fun and rewarding, but it can also be stressful at times. The Working Out Dads project will evaluate ways to promote men’s health and wellbeing during early fatherhood. What is Working Out Dads? View this participant information video to find out more about the project. The Working Out Dads project will evaluate two different approaches, including: Working Out Dads – a 6-week face-to-face group of 6-10 fathers, which includes time for discussion about being a dad, managing work and family life, and strategies to cope with stress. It also includes a 30-minute group personal training session with a personal trainer. Talking About Being a Dad – a brief discussion over the phone with a health professional from Tweddle Child & Family Health Service about what it is like to be a dad, about your health and wellbeing, and what resources and services ...

The SENTINEL study aims to describe the epidemiology of hospitalised children treated for sepsis in Australia and New Zealand. The primary objective is to describe the prevalence, resource utilization, and outcomes in hospitalised children treated for sepsis in Australia and New Zealand. Why do we need the SENTINEL study? Sepsis is the leading cause of early childhood death worldwide, with an estimated 4 million children dying from this final common pathway for severe infections every year(1). The burden of disease in Australia and New Zealand is unknown, including mortality, duration of hospitalisation, requirement for intensive care and organ support therapies, and long-term functional outcome in sepsis survivors. Early markers of severe disease and predictors of poor outcome in childhood sepsis are unknown. Sepsis-related hospital costs are estimated at $4 billion per annum for children and $12 billion per annum for adults in the United States(2). The cost of hospitalisation for ...

What is OPTIMUM? The number of children diagnosed with food allergies has risen greatly in Australia and around the world in the last 20 years. There are many factors currently being investigated that may contribute to why so many more children have food allergies. The OPTIMUM Study is looking to determine whether one dose of ‘whole cell’ pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine given at two months of age instead of the current ‘acellular’ pertussis vaccine can help protect young children against allergic outcomes. Who can take part: Healthy babies aged 6-12 weeks of age (born after 32 weeks gestation) Living in Greater Melbourne, Victoria Who cannot participate: Babies who have already received their 6-8 week vaccines Babies with other serious health issues Babies where a food allergy has already been diagnosed What happens in the study? Participation will be for 18 months and will involve 3 study visits, including a free ...

What is the TreEat Study? A study to test a new model of care for the prevention of tree nut allergy for infants with peanut allergy. The TreEat study compares a multi-nut oral food challenge versus home introduction of single tree nuts. Infants will be eligible if: aged between 4 months and 11 months of age have confirmed peanut allergy with SPT (≥3mm) or sIgE (>0.35kU/L) Infants will be ineligible if: Any history of severe food induced anaphylaxis. (2 doses of IM adrenaline) Pre-existing tree nut allergy (parent-reported) Any tree nut already tolerated (ingestion on >3 occasions without reaction of around 1 teaspoon) SPT or sIgE performed to any tree nuts Not commenced or unable to eat solid food Prescribed beta-blocker medication Register interest The study is being conducted in Melbourne (Australia). Infants must be less than 11months of age and can only be referred to the study by their ...

The Australian Leukodystrophy Clinical and Research Program What is the study about? The study aims to classify and understand the causes of white matter disorders and to develop a better means of diagnosis and treatment. The study is using genomics to provide more diagnoses and establishing a national registry. The team is part of the Global Leukodystrophy Initiative (GLIA), a team of investigators from around the world determined to understand these conditions better and improve the lives of affected patients and their families. The project has been named in honour of Stephen and Sally Damiani’s son Massimo Damiani , who had an extremely rare form of Leukodystrophy. The study builds upon the Australian Genomics’ Leukodystrophy Flagship to accelerate its research. What is a leukodystrophy? Leukodystrophies are disorders of the white matter or cabling networks of the brain. There are many types of leukodystrophies with variable clinical outcomes including developmental delay, ...

The aim of the AMIE study aims to develop better understanding of the impact of lifestyle and environment on male infertility. Tens of thousands of couples trying to have children in Australia have fertility issues. Almost half of these are due to problems concerning the man. Unfortunately, not much is known about the causes of male infertility. There is some research that suggests lifestyle or environmental factors could play a part. We know that smoking, diet or environmental pollutants can lead to diseases like cancer or diabetes. What we do not know is whether these are also related to infertility. The AMIE study aims to understand how health, lifestyle and environmental factors may impact on male infertility and treatment outcomes for male infertility. This study is being done by an expert team of scientists and clinicians, led by the Reproductive Epidemiology group at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI). It ...

PRagMatic paediatric trial of balanced vs normal saline fluid in sepsis This study is now recruiting About PRoMPT BOLUS The goal of PRoMPT BOLUS is to compare 0.9% saline and balanced fluids that are currently both used in routine clinical care. Both fluids are commonly used, and both are helpful to treat paediatric sepsis, but we do not yet know which fluid is the safest and most effective. PRoMPT BOLUS is a pragmatic clinical trial, which means that the study conditions mimic “real life” as much as possible with simple inclusion criteria, few exclusion criteria, and very few elements of care that are protocolised. PRoMPT BOLUS is a large clinical trial that will enroll over 8,000 children with sepsis across the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Study Population PRoMPT BOLUS will enroll children over 6 months and less than 18 years of age with possible sepsis during an ...

All pregnant women in Australia are offered voluntary prenatal screening for fetal chromosome conditions to learn more about their health of their unborn baby. The Reproductive Epidemiology group has led research in this field for many years, publishing scientific papers and reports on prenatal testing that have informed Australian clinical practice guidelines and health policy. Our team Professor Jane Halliday PhD (Principal investigator of the Victorian Prenatal Diagnosis Database) Associate Professor Lisa Hui MBBS PhD (Team leader) Cecilia Pynaker BSc MGH (Research Assistant) The Annual Report on Prenatal Diagnostic testing in Victoria This publication from the Victorian Prenatal Diagnosis Database (VPDD) analyses state-wide trends in fetal chromosome testing every year. The VPDD is a long standing collaboration between the Reproductive Epidemiology group, the Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Monash Pathology, and formerly, Melbourne Pathology and Australian Clinical Laboratories. A comprehensive description of numbers of tests, indications for testing and test results ...

Enhanced public health investigation of SARS-CoV-2 cases in Victorian schools and early childhood education and care. Why do we need the COVID Schools study? The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), together with the Victorian Department of Health (DH) and the Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET), is conducting a study to increase understanding of coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission in schools and Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services. It is anticipated that the findings from this research will inform the public health response to outbreaks in schools and ECEC services. Schools and ECEC services are an essential part of society and children’s lives. They provide safe and supportive learning environments for children and students, employ teachers and other staff, and enable parents and guardians to work. Ultimately, we need more evidence to understand how coronavirus(COVID-19) is spread in schools and ECEC, inform the best way to respond to outbreaks, and ...