Thanks to a joint partnership with Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation will be at the forefront of a global push to decode the human immune system to transform how we prevent, diagnose and treat disease as the first international hub of the Human Vaccines Project.

The Human Vaccines Project membership, announced today by WA Health Minister Roger Cook, will also see Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation and Telethon Kids Institute co-fund the relocation of an international leader in the field, paediatric clinical scientist Professor Tobias Kollmann and his laboratory team, from Canada to head the initiative.

Dr Kollmann, as a senior scientist at Telethon Kids Institute, will lead the Human Vaccines Project’s efforts to enable the development of one shot vaccines that provide lifelong protection from disease for all people.

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation CEO Carrick Robinson said the international collaboration with the Human Vaccines Project and the recruitment of Professor Kollmann and his team would have direct benefit to WA children and families.

“Tobi’s research has changed the way we think about infection in young babies and has led to the development of new techniques for diagnosis and research,” Mr Robinson said.

Not only will he treat children at PCH, he will ensure that WA families reap the benefits of us being at the leading edge of new techniques and therapies.

Telethon Kids Institute Director Professor Jonathan Carapetis said the Project was both ambitious and achievable.

“Just as the mapping of the human genome has led to incredible advances in medical science, the Human Vaccines Project has the potential to truly unlock the power of the immune system to fight disease from within – that means more effective vaccines and immunotherapies,” Professor Carapetis said.

It is a fantastic honour to be invited to be the first international member and reflects the reputation of our researchers and the work that we’re doing, particularly in paediatric infection and vulnerable communities

“Tobi visited Perth earlier this year and was so impressed with our research quality, people and environment.”

CEO of the Human Vaccines Project, Dr Wayne C Koff, said the partnership brings extensive and complementary scientific capacity to the Project.

“The strategic importance of the Project’s partnership with Telethon Kids Institute is critical to ensure that all people – including the most vulnerable – will benefit from the breakthroughs realized by decoding the human immune system.  Together we will enhance scientific efforts toward better vaccines and immunotherapies, including a universal flu vaccine,” Dr. Koff said.

The Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation and Telethon Kids Institute acknowledge generous support from Telethon, the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, BHP and Wesfarmers to make this initiative possible.

See an introduction to Professor Kollmann and the Human Vaccines Project below:

About the Human Vaccines Project

The Human Vaccines Project is a nonprofit public-private partnership with a mission to decode the human immune system to accelerate the development of vaccines and immunotherapies against major global diseases. The Project brings together leading academic research centers, industrial partners, nonprofits and governments to address the primary scientific barriers to developing new vaccines and immunotherapies. Support and funders for the Project include the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Michelson Medical Research Foundation, GSK, MedImmune, Illumina, Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, Pfizer, Moderna, Boehringer Ingelheim, Aeras, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, University of California San Diego, The Scripps Research Institute, J. Craig Venter Institute and La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology. To learn more, visit www.humanvaccinesproject.org and follow @HumanVacProject on Twitter.

About Telethon Kids Institute

The Telethon Kids Institute is one of the largest and most successful medical research institutes in Australia, comprising a dedicated and diverse team of more than 600 staff and students.  We’ve created a bold blueprint that brings together community, researchers, practitioners, policy makers and funders, who share our vision to improve the health and wellbeing of children through excellence in research. The Institute is headed by leading paediatrician and infectious diseases expert Professor Jonathan Carapetis, with Founding Director Professor Fiona Stanley now Patron. Telethon Kids is independent and not-for-profit. The majority of funding comes from our success in winning national and international competitive research grants.  We also receive significant philanthropic support from corporate Australia and the community.  Learn more at  telethonkids.org.au.