Skip to content
The Kids Research Institute Australia logo
Donate

No results yet

Search

News & Events

Superviruses to fight superbugs: Perth's first phage manufacturing facility is officially open

Patients battling antibiotic-resistant superbugs will soon have access to life-saving WA-made therapies that could help treat lung, skin and ear infections as well as bacterial infections like Golden Staph. Western Australia's inaugural phage manufacturing facility – spearheaded by a team at the

News & Events

Wal-yan Centre welcomes Professor André Schultz as new Head

In an exciting development for the Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre, Professor André Schultz has been appointed as the Centre’s new Head, succeeding Professor Stephen Stick. 

START Phage WA

START Phage WA was formed to pave the way towards treating AMR infections with phage therapy in Western Australia.

Working with the community

Community involvement plays an integral role in guiding our research - find out how.

Western Australian Epithelial Research Program

The Western Australian Epithelial Research Program (WAERP) is a community cohort biobank that collects and stores airway cells from the upper (nose) and lower (trachea) airways of Western Australian children and adults (1-50 years of age) undergoing non respiratory elective surgery.

Current Studies

The Western Australian Epithelial Research Program (WAERP) biobank is undertaking a number of research projects intended to improve the understanding and preclinical assessment of therapeutics for respiratory conditions.

Research

Reduced Type-I Interferon by Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells and Asthma in School-Aged Children

Allergic sensitization and reduced ability to respond to viral infections may contribute to virus-induced wheeze and asthma development in young children. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are rare immune cells that produce type I interferons (IFN-I) and play a key role in orchestrating immune responses against viruses. 

Research

MetaNeb Versus Usual Care During Exacerbations of Cystic Fibrosis: An RCT

During exacerbations, when symptom and treatment burden are increased, individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) are likely to prefer airway clearance techniques (ACTs) that require minimal effort. Therefore, in adults with CF who were hospitalised with an exacerbation, we sought to compare the effect of the MetaNeb with usual ACTs on respiratory function and expectorated sputum.

Research

Surveillance of avian influenza through bird guano in remote regions of the global south to uncover transmission dynamics

Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) pose a growing global health threat, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where limited surveillance capacity and under-resourced healthcare systems hinder timely detection and response. Migratory birds play a significant role in the transboundary spread of AIVs, yet data from key regions along migratory flyways remain sparse. To address these surveillance gaps, we conducted a study between December 2021 and February 2023 using fresh bird guano collected across 10 countries in the Global South.