Projects

What is Vitality? There has been an increase in food allergy in recent years. The cause of this is unknown; however, the number of people experiencing allergic reactions has significantly increased. The aims of this study are to see the relationship between food allergy, vitamin D and immune function in infants. Who can take part? Mothers with infants: Age 6-8 weeks Planning to be primarily breastfed until 6 months of age (not exclusively bottle-fed) Living in Greater Melbourne, Victoria Who cannot take part? Infants already receiving vitamin D supplementation Infants born under 37 weeks gestation, under 2.5kg or with a significant medical problem What will I be asked to do? Participate in one initial home visit where we will collect samples. Complete 4 online surveys in your child’s first year of life. Attend a free allergy test appointment when your child turns one year old at the Royal Children’s Hospital...

CardioRegen The Melbourne Children’s Centre for Cardiovascular Genomics and Regenerative Medicine (CardioRegen) is an integrated clinical and research program across the Melbourne Children’s Campus and Parkville Precinct. Our vision is to transform the clinical care of patients with childhood heart disease by bringing together researchers across the translational continuum from discovery science to the clinic. CardioRegen encompasses three major research programs in Diagnostics, Discovery and Translation, which are broadly focused on understanding the genetic causes of childhood heart disease and developing novel regenerative therapies for children with heart failure. Childhood Heart Disease and Heart Failure Heart disease is the leading cause of death and disability in children, affecting up to 1 in 100 live births. Complex forms of childhood heart disease (CHD) often require multiple surgical interventions during early childhood and adolescence. Surgical advances over the past 20 years have dramatically increased survival rates, with more than 85% of children...

About the Australia and New Zealand Childhood Arthritis Risk factor Identification Study (ANZ CLARITY) In this research project, we are establishing a national Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis biobank, called ANZ CLARITY (Australia and New Zealand ChiLdhood Arthritis Risk factor Identification sTudY). The ANZ Clarity Study is trying to find ways to better treat a form of childhood arthritis called JIA (Juvenile idiopathic arthritis). JIA belongs to a group of illnesses called autoimmune diseases. Your body has an immune system, which fights germs and keeps you healthy. In autoimmune diseases the body’s immune system mistakes a normal part of the body for something foreign (like a germ), and starts attacking the body itself. In JIA the immune system attacks the joints and sometimes other body tissues. This is called an autoimmune process and we do not understand exactly how and why this happens. The symptoms of JIA are joint pain and swelling,...

Unlocking the secrets of hearing loss VicCHILD is the Victorian Childhood Hearing Impairment Longitudinal Databank. It's a Victorian register and research databank of children born with a permanent hearing loss. VicCHILD ultimately aims to help children with permanent hearing loss reach their full developmental potentials. Update your contact details Register your interest in VicChild As of January 2018, over 700 families have already contributed data to VicCHILD. The databank holds a range of information about all Victorian children born with a permanent hearing loss. The information collected and stored by VicCHILD will: help researchers and health professionals gain a better understanding of the causes and outcomes of childhood hearing loss help researchers understand why some children with a hearing loss do well, while others face greater difficulties improve intervention and treatment and ultimately the lives of children with permanent hearing loss and their families. If your child was born with...

Does Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine in pregnancy provide protection against RSV disease in babies? RSV is the leading cause of lung disease in infants and young children. By the age of two, almost all children have been exposed to RSV. RSV illness early in life may also increase the chances of a child developing wheezing and asthma when they are older. The Vaccine & Immunisation Research Group (VIRGo) at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in collaboration with Melbourne Obstetricians are conducting a large study to find out whether giving an RSV containing vaccine (RSV F) during the last trimester of pregnancy is safe and will provide protection to the newborn baby against RSV disease. What is the RSV vaccine in pregnancy study? RSV vaccine in pregnancy is a large study to find out whether giving RSV F vaccine (against Respiratory Syncytial Virus) during the last trimester of pregnancy is...

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death and disability in children and adolescents worldwide. TBI refers to any damage to the brain acquired as a result of a trauma, i.e., injuries caused by external forces such as falls, contact sports, and accidents. TBI can cause an interruption to a child’s development. It can result in significant impairments such as memory holding information in the mind, and making decisions. Problems in these areas may affect academic skills, setting goals, and completing everyday tasks. Researchers at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, and University of Melbourne are conducting a trial to investigate the impact of computer activities and their effectiveness in improving memory and making decisions in children post TBI. We are looking for children and adolescents aged 7- 15 years old, who have experienced a TBI. Participation in this research will involve completing questionnaires...

About the Study The Group Pregnancy Care study is implementing and evaluating a new approach to antenatal and postnatal care that involves inter-agency collaboration between public maternity hospitals, refugee settlement agencies, and maternal and child health (MCH) services. The aim of the program is to provide multifaceted, culturally appropriate preventive health care, information and support to refugee women during and after pregnancy in a group setting. The program is cost-free; provides care and information that is woman-directed, culturally appropriate and in women’s language; and facilitates links and referrals to services as necessary. Program Principles The organisations and staff involved have agreed to apply these principles: Community consultation and engagement Establish rapport with the woman and when present her family Giving women time and space to ask questions, check understanding and consent for medical tests and other procedures and Inform family of procedures, when appropriate Provide an on-site interpreter for pregnancy...

The newly established Australian Hand Difference Register (AHDR) is a database of children born with a hand difference and/or arm difference. The AHDR is managed by researchers at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, which is located at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. To begin with, the AHDR will focus on children attending The Royal Children’s Hospital, before being extended within Victoria, and then Australia-wide. The AHDR aims to: find out how many children are born with a hand/arm difference in Australia learn more about possible causes and risk factors gain information to help plan services identify possible participants for future research The AHDR is currently funded by Aussie Hands ( The Aussie Hands Foundation Inc. ), a support group for people who have a hand difference and their families, and additional funding has been obtained from the Australasian Foundation for Plastic Surgery . Funding organisations do not have access...

About the project We are recruiting healthy children and adolescents (aged 8 to 18 years) who do not have a medical condition to participate in a project which investigates their experiences of tiredness, sleep, pain, school and how they feel. We would like to compare the experiences of healthy children and adolescents to those of children and adolescents who have chronic fatigue syndrome so that we can understand the differences. What we learn from this project might lead to the development of interventions to help improve the quality of life for children and adolescents with CFS. You will be asked to fill in a survey now and again in six, 12 and 24 months. Participant criteria Children and adolescents aged between 8 and 18 years who are healthy (i.e., do not have a medical condition) Contact details for study If you would like more information, please contact: Ms Kylie Thomas...

What is RSV? Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common virus that can cause serious respiratory illness in infants and young children. It is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia in infants and young children, which can result in hospitalisation. Preterm infants are at particularly high risk of hospitalisation with an RSV infection. There are no vaccines available to prevent RSV infection. Currently there is a medication to prevent RSV, but it is usually reserved for infants who have serious heart or lung disease, and some premature infants born at less than 28 weeks gestation. Purpose of the study This study is being done to evaluate how effective a new medication (called MEDI8897) is at preventing serious respiratory illness caused by RSV in preterm infants. Who can take part? Healthy infants who were born preterm at 29 to 35 weeks...