Message from our Executive Director
At The Kids, our people are our greatest asset, and we have some of the best and brightest minds in the world working here. This is evident in the recent appointment of our new Deputy Director (Research). Following a global search in which high-calibre applicants were put through a rigorous selection process, we are delighted to share that our very own Professor Andrew Whitehouse has been appointed.
Professor Whitehouse, pictured top right, is an internationally recognised autism researcher, an outstanding leader and science communicator, and has a real passion for impact-driven research. He brings a highly strategic approach to the role which will be instrumental in implementing Research Reimagined, our new Strategic Plan aimed at solving the biggest challenges facing the health and wellbeing of children and families. Professor Whitehouse will continue to be involved in research here at The Kids and will remain Director of CliniKids, our researchintegrated clinical service.
In his role as Deputy Director, Professor Whitehouse will chair our Science Leadership Committee which is responsible for leading and making decisions relating to the science and research we undertake at The Kids.
He will be joined on the committee by our Research Theme Heads:
• Associate Professor David Martino, Chronic Diseases Theme Head
This incredible group of researchers will help drive Research Reimagined, ensuring it delivers on its bold ambition for our research to have a bigger impact on the health and happiness of kids – research that changes young lives.
Research like ORIGINS sub-project IRON Child, which found that a third of WA one-year-olds and up to two thirds of three-year-olds have low iron. Low iron levels can affect speech, sleep and appetite and lead to other health issues, so the team is now investigating why iron deficiency is a problem in our toddlers.
lethal pathogen in the world. Much of my own research focuses on trying to develop a vaccine to combat Strep A – read more on page 20.
This year marks 35 years since our Institute was officially opened. From humble beginnings in the renovated former nurses’ quarters at Princess Margaret Hospital, today The Kids is one of the largest and most successful medical research institutes in Australia.
We look forward to celebrating our 35 years later in the year by showcasing how our research has been making a difference for more than three decades.
• Associate Professor Glenn Pearson, First Nations Health and Equity Theme Head
• Associate Professor Hannah Moore, Infectious Diseases Theme Head
• Professor Timo Lassmann, Precision Health Theme Head
Research like a study from our Adelaide team which investigated the breakfast habits of more than 28,000 South Australian school-aged children and showed that those who skip breakfast some or all of the time achieve poorer NAPLAN results than children who always eat breakfast. They are now delving further into breakfast skipping and working with governments and the community to boost rates of breakfast eating across all Australian children.
And research like the amazing progress our rare and undiagnosed diseases team continues to make after solving the mystery of Charlotte Patterson’s condition, featured in our last edition. The team has received substantial new funding to fast-track further development of the technique they used to crack Charlotte’s case, with the aim of reducing the time it takes to screen for genetic variants from 12 months to less than 12 weeks.
In early May I was delighted to present the inaugural Adelaide lecture on the topic of Strep A. We welcomed staff, research colleagues, and old and new friends at the Adelaide Town Hall for this presentation, which I first delivered to a Perth audience at Government House in November 2024. Strep A is one of the nastiest bugs you’ve probably never heard of – the fifth most
Following our rebrand in August last year, we have launched a campaign to raise awareness of our new name and brand. The campaign features our own researchers and the ways they ‘think of the kids’ every day to try and solve the big health problems affecting kids and families today. I hope you’ve had a chance to see the campaign on our TV screens or online.
Our research can only happen through the support of our community. As the end of the financial year approaches, you may want to consider making a donation to support important child health research projects like those outlined in this edition of Together. Please click on the QR code below or contact our Development Team by emailing giving@thekids.org.au or calling (08) 6319 1333. Your donation will make a huge impact to kids’ lives.
Thank you for your ongoing support of The Kids.
Professor Jonathan Carapetis AM Executive Director
• Associate Professor Shannon Simpson, Strong Beginnings Theme Head
• Professor Ben Jackson, Wellbeing and Mental Health Theme Head
Your gift powers our thinking and changes kids’ lives.
Your support can help researchers at The Kids make life-changing breakthroughs for children who need it most. Because of donors like you, we can create a brighter future for kids like Adele, who spent multiple days in ICU after contracting Strep A.
To make a donation, visit here or email giving@thekids.org.au
Study finds worryingly low iron levels in toddlers and pre-schoolers
A third of Western Australian oneyear-olds and up to two thirds of three-year-olds have low iron, a study by The Kids Research Institute Australia has found.
IRON Child, a sub-project of longitudinal birth study ORIGINS, was undertaken with project partner, Joondalup Health Campus (JHC).
ORIGINS Co-Director and Joondalup Health Campus Professor of Paediatrics Professor Desiree Silva said the findings were concerning because low iron at such a critical stage of life could be detrimental to development.
“Low iron can affect speech, sleep and appetite and can also potentially lead to neurocognitive, mental health and behavioural issues,” Dr Silva said.
ORIGINS is the largest longitudinal birth study of its kind in Australia, using data from 10,000 babies born at JHC, where IRON Child researchers are now working to find out why iron deficiency is so prevalent among toddlers, and to try to find solutions.
Dr Jamie Tan with ORIGINS participant, one-year-old Kavindi Ganepola
ORIGINS celebrates significant funding from the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation in 2025
A substantial funding boost from the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation will help to further extend one of Australia’s biggest longitudinal child health research studies, centred around families from the Joondalup and Wanneroo communities.
ORIGINS Project Co-Director and Professor of Paediatrics, Desiree Silva, and Co-Director, Dr Jackie Davis, said the 2025 funding would be integral to helping ORIGINS achieve its ultimate goal of reducing the rising epidemic of non-communicable diseases through a ‘healthy start to life’.
“The Stan Perron Charitable Foundation funding will allow ORIGINS to grow alongside its study participants,” Professor Silva said.
“This work is helping us to explore the new and different challenges facing today’s children. Through this project, we have been able to initiate a series of intervention studies aimed at improving a broad range of health outcomes by favourably modifying the early environment.
siblings from early life into early childhood. The study includes collection of biological samples, along with face-to-face appointments and online questionnaires.
ORIGINS – a collaboration between The Kids Research Institute Australia and Joondalup Health Campus –includes families from the Joondalup and Wanneroo communities.
Initially, the study was meant to follow its participants for the first five years of the child’s life. Now, with the generous funding and support of The Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, ORIGINS can expand its research into the primary school years, following the children through ages six to eight.
When asked about ORIGINS’ expansion into the primary school years, Professor Silva said the natural extension of the project would allow its researchers to gain insight into what environmental factors impact a child’s language and literacy, mental health, and lifestyle behaviours.
“Across Australia there has been a significant increase in positive screening for ADHD, autism spectrum disorders and anxiety amongst six- to eight-yearolds,” Professor Silva said.
One area of focus includes investigating possible links between iron deficiency and childhood anxiety and neurodevelopmental conditions, including ADHD.
Paediatrician and Deputy Director of Medical Services at Joondalup Health Campus, Dr Lana Bell, said while long-term outcomes from the broader ORIGINS research platform would take more time to emerge, the IRON Child project would provide practical and affordable actions solutions for parents in the interim.
“We know waiting times for specialists, including paediatricians, now extend into months and years. Early intervention to address low iron, including via diet and nutrition, could potentially provide a cost-effective solution for affected children and their families,” Dr Bell said.
IRON Child Chief Investigator and ORIGINS Biobank Manager, Dr Nina D’Vaz, highlighted how the team is also utilising the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help analyse the data.
“ORIGINS houses more than 196,000 aliquoted blood samples in our Biobank. By leveraging AI, we’re accelerating research to inform primary caregivers earlier about their child’s iron levels, allowing for intervention before symptoms become clinically significant,” Dr D’Vaz said.
To date, 864 children across ORIGINS and IRON Child have been detected as being low in iron, with their guardians notified and a treatment plan provided to increase iron intake through diet and nutritional changes.
Dr D’Vaz, Professor Silva and the wider IRON Child team also hope to translate the findings to other communities to improve childhood wellness.
Click here to read more about IRON Child
“This includes our clinical trial aimed at improving maternal gut health in pregnancy and lactation, to improve the early metabolic and immune health of unborn babies, and examining whether the food a mother eats during pregnancy and breastfeeding affects the chances of her baby developing food allergies.”
ORIGINS is the largest study of its kind in Australia, following 10,000 women, their babies, partners, and
“ORIGINS data enables researchers to determine the causal pathways of why a child is affected by these conditions, and what environmental factors are increasing symptoms in these children. This will ensure all kids, and their families, are able to perform to the best of their ability.”
Click here to find out more about ORIGINS and its research projects.
Jamee Brien, her daughter McKenzie, aged 7 years, and ORIGINS team member Dr Katie Britton
WA’s nation-leading immunisation program for babies slashes RSV hospital admissions
An Australian-first study demonstrating the effectiveness of a new immunisation against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for babies found it to be almost 90 per cent effective at reducing hospitalisation rates and that it helped more than 500 WA families avoid a hospital stay.
Led by researchers at the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccine and Infectious Diseases, based at The Kids Research Institute Australia, and funded by Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation, the REVIVE Study investigated RSV-related hospital admissions following the introduction of WA’s immunisation program, which provided babies with a long-acting monoclonal antibody called nirsevimab.
Affecting the airways and lungs, RSV is a lifethreatening virus responsible for sending 3.6 million children to hospitals worldwide each year. It is especially dangerous for vulnerable young babies at high risk of potentially deadly complications, such as severe bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
“Western Australian researchers have had a long-term commitment to providing protection against RSV,” REVIVE study researcher Dr Ushma Wadia said.
“Last year, the WA Department of Health led the way as the first Australian state to offer the free RSV
immunisation program for all babies born throughout the winter season and this was extremely successful.
“More than 24,000 doses of nirsevimab were distributed between April and September last year, providing coverage to 85 per cent of newborns and 66 per cent of a ‘catch-up’ cohort of babies in the lead-up to their first winter season.
“With the support of Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation, as well as the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation for our on-going RSV research program, our team worked alongside WA Health to evaluate hospitalisation rates at Perth Children’s Hospital, Fiona Stanley Hospital and Joondalup Health Campus, and allowed us to become the first place in the southern hemisphere to successfully demonstrate the major impact of RSV immunisation in young babies,” Dr Wadia said.
Published in The Journal of Infection, the study also investigated the effect immunisation had on the severity of RSV cases, with nirsevimab recipients 60 per cent less likely to require oxygen or assistance with their breathing if admitted with RSV.
Carrick Robinson, CEO of Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation, said the results of this groundbreaking study were extremely promising. With a dramatic
Nationwide RSV program roll-out announced
More than two decades of research, modelling and collaboration to develop safe and effective RSV immunisations has led to a major Federal Government roll-out of a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation program for all pregnant women and newborn babies in 2025.
The world-leading approach, in partnership with each State and Territory, will give every baby born in Australia much needed protection against RSV in the lead-up to winter and keep 10,000 babies out of hospital each year.
Launched by Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler, the $174.5 million investment follows the success of WA’s state program that was introduced earlier this year.
Professor Chris Blyth, Head of the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, based at The Kids Research Institute Australia, applauded the announcement and the major, long-term impact the national program will have on young babies and their families.
Professor Chris Blyth
reduction in hospital admissions for RSV, WA was setting the standard in protecting our youngest and most vulnerable. Not only did this ease the pressure on our hospitals and emergency departments, but it also ensured families were spared the stress and strain of hospital stays.
“Through funding innovative initiatives like this, we have the potential to make a real difference in the lives of children and their families, as well as reducing the burden on the healthcare system, not only in WA but across Australia for years to come,” Mr Robinson said.
For Professor Chris Blyth, Head of the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases and a phsyician at Perth Children’s Hospital, it is the global significance of this work that is hugely significant.
“The data gained from the REVIVE Study aligns with outcomes from research conducted in the northern
“RSV infects the airways and lungs, and with no vaccines previously available for protection, newborn babies have been at high risk of lifethreatening complications such as severe bronchiolitis and pneumonia,” Professor Blyth said.
“The virus sends 3.6 million children to hospitals worldwide each year, including 650 – 800 right here in WA, so we have spent last 20 years not only working with international collaborators to develop safe and effective RSV immunisations, but also providing evidence to demonstrate the impact of a targeted vaccination program.”
hemisphere and can now be used as evidence to inform vaccine policy throughout the world, including in lower-income countries where morbidity rates for RSV are at their highest,” Professor Blyth said.
The success of WA’s nirsevimab program also contributed to the rollout of a national, $174.5 million RSV immunisation program now now under way for all pregnant women and newborn babies across Australia, which hopes to keep 10,000 babies out of hospital each year.
“Researchers from the Wesfarmers Centre have spent the last two decades participating in global vaccine studies to develop safe and effective world-first RSV immunisations, so being able to see the outcomes of this work first-hand is certainly very rewarding for all involved,” Professor Blyth said.
Click here to visit the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases website for more information on the REVIVE study and STAMP RSV research program.
No breakfast risks poor school results
An Australian study has revealed the clear link between eating breakfast and academic success, with students who skip breakfast some or all of the time achieving poorer NAPLAN results than children who always eat breakfast.
In research published today in the journal Public Health Nutrition, a team from The Kids Research Institute Australia studied the student-reported breakfast habits of 28,651 South Australian school children aged 8-16.
They then examined how the same students performed in that year’s NAPLAN tests – standardised national literacy and numeracy tests undertaken by students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 – to see if there was any link between the two.
Led by Senior Research Officer Dr Alanna Sincovich from The Kids’ Adelaide office, the study found 57.6 per cent of the students reported skipping breakfast sometimes (one to six days a week), while 10.1 per cent admitted they skipped breakfast every day.
“Overall, our findings show that the kids who skip breakfast – whether it’s sometimes or every day – are at increased risk for being at or below the national minimum standards for NAPLAN,” Dr Sincovich said. “We saw this increased risk of low achievement scores across all five NAPLAN tests.
“Results were worst for those students who reported never eating breakfast, but those who sometimes
skipped breakfast were also at increased risk of low achievement compared to students who reported eating breakfast every day.”
Study co-author Associate Professor Tess Gregory said previous international research had looked for links between breakfast-eating and academic success but had relied on smaller sample sizes or used nonstandardised measures of achievement such as school grades.
“In our study we set out to use strong methodology to counter these limitations, using a large sample size, a standardised measure of achievement for all students, and controlling for factors that may confound the relationship between breakfast consumption and academic achievement, such as age, gender and socioeconomic status,” Associate Professor Gregory said.
“We all know that if we’re hungry, it’s harder to concentrate. We now have clear evidence of the link between skipping breakfast and poorer academic outcomes in Australian school children.”
The reasons behind breakfast skipping were not captured in the study, but there is likely to be a range of factors impacting families, including household food insecurity.
“For some families it may be a question of not having enough food to put on the table, for others it may be time pressures or children simply not liking breakfast, and for others, young people may be deliberately restricting food for reasons related to weight and body image,” Associate Professor Gregory said.
The Kids nutritionist Dr Amelia Harray said there were things parents could do to help encourage breakfast eating, if they could access and afford it.
“If your child refuses to eat breakfast, parents and carers can pack a substantial morning tea and lunch for school or offer food later in the day when their child has a greater appetite.”
The study provides support for the continuation of School Breakfast Programs across Australia, and The Kids is committed to working with governments on the implementation of these programs to ensure they are accessible to children and families who need them.
Study of nearly 30,000 students found those who skipped breakfast did worse on NAPLAN numeracy and reading tests than those who ate breakfast daily.
One in ten students reported they never ate breakfast, about a half of students skipped breakfast some of the time, and about a third of students ate breakfast every day.
Those who never ate breakfast were almost twice as likely to perform poorly on NAPLAN numeracy tests, and 1.6 times as likely to do poorly on reading tests.
Reasons for breakfast skipping are complex but food insecurity is likely to be a key factor for many families.
NAPLAN testing commenced nationally March 12.
“Involving children in decisions about what they would like to eat for breakfast, such as choosing what goes in a smoothie or a specific type of cereal, can give them a sense of buy-in, which supports consumption,” Dr Harray said.
“Foods commonly eaten for breakfast in Australia, such as cereal with milk, fruit, toast, or eggs, are excellent sources of essential nutrients, including energy, calcium, protein, vitamins and minerals, which help kids grow, concentrate, and stay active at school.
“Breakfast does not have to include typical ‘breakfast foods’ such as toast or cereal. Some children may prefer dinner leftovers, and that’s okay too.
“We aim to undertake further research to unpack the reasons behind breakfast skipping and work with governments and the community to boost the rates of breakfast eating across all Australian children,” Associate Professor Gregory said.
Dr Sincovich and Associate Professor Gregory both hold adjunct positions in the School of Public Health at The University of Adelaide and The University of Western Australia.
The full paper, Breakfast skipping and academic achievement at 8-16 years: a population study in South Australia, can be read by clicking here.
Associate Professor Tess Gregory discusses the benefits of a nutritional breakfast with Evie Ankers, 7 years
Associate Professor Tess Gregory and seven-year old Evie Ankers
Philanthropy powering our people at PitchFest
For the third year running, ten emerging researchers took to the stage to pitch their innovative research projects at our annual Illuminate PitchFest event, inspiring a room full of donors with their vision and commitment to driving improved health outcomes for kids.
The night was a success, with a total of over $230,000 being awarded to eight early to mid-career researchers – all the result of philanthropic gifts from the generous community of donors who make these Awards possible.
A big congratulations to our 2025 Illuminate Award recipients:
Dr Thomas Nevill - People’s Choice Award, for their project: “Improving support for children with Specific Learning Disabilities through early diagnosis.”
Dr Jua Iwasaki - People’s Choice Award, for their project: “Stopping Strep throat in its track to prevent severe illness in kids.”
Dr Sonia McAlister - Illuminate Award, supported by Naomi Flutter for their project: “Whooping cough immunity: optimising vaccines for infants and beyond.”
Dr Jack Brett - Illuminate Award, supported by the AOJ Woods Foundation for their project: “Identifying interventions for children with poor emotional functioning to improve their long-term development and wellbeing.”
Dr Zahra Abbas - Illuminate Award, supported by Brown-Neaves Investments for their project: “Designing immunotherapies for children with brain tumours to reduce life-long side effects.”
Dr Brittany Dewdney - Illuminate Award, supported by our Peers & Partners workplace giving program for their project: “Mapping the brain’s healing immune response post-surgery to develop new treatments for kids with brain cancer.”
Dr Renee Ng - Illuminate Award supported by The Kids Collective donors, for their project: “Combatting antimicrobial resistance in children: Developing phage therapy as a safe, effective, and sustainable treatment.”
Dr Laurence Cheung - Illuminate Award supported by Gubgub & Wallace Family and Kerimi Family Foundation for their project: “New therapy to improve recovery and survival for children with high-risk leukaemia.”
Through Illuminate PitchFest, we continue to create long-lasting impact with our philanthropic community, by providing a platform for our emerging researchers to present their bold and innovative ideas and secure vital funds to take their work to the next stage. Well done to our award recipients and 2025 Illuminate finalists, who each pitched their research project in three minutes - Dr Brittany Dewdney, Dr Jack Brett, Dr Jua Iwasaki, Dr Laura Coleman, Dr Laurence Cheung, Dr Renee Ng, Dr Sharon Clark, Dr Sonia McAlister, Dr Thomas Nevill and Dr Zahra Abbas. You are all incredible ambassadors for the work of The Kids.
A big thank you to those from our generous supporter community who attended and for your ongoing support to research excellence here at The Kids.
Join our supporter community to learn more about Illuminate PitchFest and how you can support an award. Please contact Manager, Philanthropy Major Gifts, Simmone Sharp on 0423 241 338 or via simmone. sharp@thekids.org.au who will be happy to introduce you to this exciting and game changing initiative for our early to mid-career researchers.
PITCHFEST
is an initiative designed for early to midcareer researchers at The Kids Research Institute Australia, to pitch their bold and innovative ideas in the hopes of securing an Illuminate Award, philanthropically supported by our donor community. Launched in 2021 by the Hon Julie Bishop, who was Chair of The Kids’ Board at the time, the Illuminate Awards have supported 28 early to mid-career researchers with more than $765,000 raised, helping accelerate research careers and fuelling investment into child health research excellence here in Western Australia.
2025 Illuminate PitchFest Finalists (left to right back row) Dr Thomas Nevill, Dr Laura Coleman, Dr Zahra Abbas, Dr Brittany Dewdney, Dr Sonia McAlister and Associate Professor Laurence Cheung; (front row), Dr Jack Brett, Dr Sharon Clark, Dr Renee Ng and Dr Jua Iwasaki
Dr Ruth Thornton, Co-Head Bacterial Infectious Disease Group, left, and The Kids Chair Naomi Flutter
Dr Sonia McAlister
Dr Jack Brett
World-first research to transform outcomes for First Nations children with cancer
A first-of-its-kind research program at The Kids Research Institute Australia aims to develop new strategies to better treat First Nations children with cancer.
First Nations children with cancer have much worse outcomes and poorer tolerance to current therapies, with very little understanding as to why.
The new program, led by Kamilaroi woman Dr Jessica Buck on Whadjuk Noongar country at the Institute’s WA Kids Cancer Centre, will aid in the future development of life-saving and life-altering treatments for First Nations children with cancer.
Dr Buck said First Nations children experienced severe side effects from current cancer therapies and worse outcomes, with five-year survival rates lower for First Nations kids – particularly in the Northern Territory, where five-year survival is 38 per cent for First Nations children compared to 79 per cent for other Australian children.
The Kids Director of First Nations Strategy and Leadership Associate Professor Glenn Pearson, said he was excited to see the impact of this world-leading program on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
“This is an entirely new area of research, with the potential to reshape how we understand and treat cancer in First Nations children,” Associate Professor Pearson said. “By building a robust evidence base, we can implement tangible and strategic treatments to improve survival rates and quality of life.”
Engaging closely with First Nations communities to understand the questions they have, the research they want undertaken, and to ensure therapy is delivered appropriately is a priority for the new program.
Menang Goreng Elder Aunty Averil Williams said communities and mob would be more informed as a result of the program.
“They will have a better understanding. It’s like when my little girl was diagnosed with leukaemia. I said I want to know what’s going to happen. I want to know
Funding boost for childhood cancer research projects
Projects to improve outcomes for leukaemia patients and reduce skin cancer rates in young Aboriginal people have received funding through Cancer Council WA.
what’s the treatment. All of those things, and that’s what I see this project as being,” Aunty Averil said.
“People can be properly informed and have a better understanding of what it’s all about, then encourage people to ask the questions of what, why, how.”
Dr Buck said it was important to support these children while they were in hospital and to support the families, particularly those from remote communities. Her vision for the program goes beyond research –she hopes to empower First Nations communities, transform care, and ultimately ensure that every child has the best chance to thrive after cancer.
The program is actively recruiting Elders and community members to join its advisory group, including individuals with lived experience of childhood cancer, and First Nations community members in the health space, to ensure the research is driven and designed by community priorities and reflects cultural values.
Dr Buck will collaborate closely with the Perth Children’s Hospital Oncology and Haematology Department, with the program generously supported by the Simon Lee Foundation, a Tony Chong Award, and with ongoing future support from the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation. To learn more about the WA Kids Cancer Centre click here
Three researchers will each receive nearly $140,000 via The Cancer Research Project Grants, enabling their teams to advance critical public health research.
Dr Sébastien Malinge received funding to lead a project aimed at improving outcomes for children with Down syndrome who develop leukaemia. These children face higher rates of leukaemia and worse side effects than other kids, compounded by additional health challenges.
The project will explore how genetic differences linked to Down syndrome (Trisomy 21) alter the bone marrow environment where leukaemia grows, affecting the immune response and the effectiveness of treatments like chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Dr Malinge is also a collaborator alongside The Kids’ and UWA Postdoctoral Researcher Dr Jesse Armitage on another successful CCWA project, led by UWA, investigating a novel immunotherapy approach to treat leukaemia.
This research focuses on enhancing the cancerfighting ability of natural killer cells, a type of immune cell with the natural capacity to destroy cancer.
Honorary team member of the Cancer Centre, Dr Francois Rwandamuriye, received a grant for his project which aims to develop safer, less toxic, and more effective mRNA-based immunotherapies that can be applied at the time of surgery to boost the local immune system. The immunotherapy mops up any remaining tumour cells, preventing cancer recurrence.
Professor Asha Bowen, Head of the Healthy Skin team at the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious diseases, received almost $140,000 for vital research promoting sun smart choices and skin cancer prevention among young Aboriginal people.
Co-led by Dr Heather-Lynn Kessaris, Western Australia’s first Aboriginal Dermatology trainee, from the Alawa and Mara language groups in the Northern Territory, the Ngangk Ngabala Ngoonda (Sun Safety) of Aboriginal young mob of WA project aims to increase awareness of skin cancer risk for Aboriginal youth.
A recent study conducted by the Institute’s Healthy Skin team identified that only 40-60 per cent of Aboriginal kids living in urban areas were following two of the five recommended sun-safe strategies, such as wearing sun protective clothing and applying sun cream.
The Cancer Research Project Grants are co-funded by the Western Australian Future Health Research and Innovation Fund and Cancer Council Western Australia.
Dr Jessica Buck with Aunty Averil Williams and Elizabeth Wilkes
Pictured: Logan Bastaja (8), Griffin Sharp (9), Harley Baker (10), Rosie Sharp (7), Fraser Bastaja (6)
CONNECTing with Community
At The Kids, community is at the heart of everything we do. Our CONNECT program honours the many ways our community supports us in making our research great and achieving our vision of happy, healthy kids.
CONNECT members bring their lived experience, views, ideas, and passion to support The Kids in many different ways, whether through involvement in advisory groups and committees, taking part in research, community fundraising, volunteering - or simply by staying in touch and learning about the latest research through our newsletters and event.
Volunteers are an integral part of our mission, collaborating closely with our researchers and community to positively impact the lives of kids, young people, and their families.
Fatima Hosseini has personally experienced the impact of volunteering at The Kids.
“I wanted to be part of something that brings joy, learning, and connection to families, especially in a space dedicated to something as crucial as children’s health and wellbeing.
“My interest in becoming a volunteer was sparked during one of our family visits to the Discovery Centre — I was truly impressed by how interactive, inclusive, and engaging the space was for children and adults alike. It felt like a place where curiosity thrived,” Fatima said.
“I’ve become particularly interested in how the Discovery Centre supports knowledge translation — taking complex research findings and making them understandable and engaging for families.”
Since joining CONNECT and becoming a volunteer, Fatima has watched her children’s interest in science and research blossom.
“My kids have become more curious and confident in asking questions about health, science, and the world around them,” she said.
“It’s been beautiful to see how their exposure to the Discovery Centre — and the CONNECT community — has sparked conversations at home about everything from medical research to empathy.”
If you want to learn more, let’s CONNECT.
Visit www.thekids.org.au/CONNECT
Think of the Kids by leaving a legacy
Medical research has transformed once-devastating childhood illnesses like leukaemia, polio and spina bifida. Discoveries made by researchers are the reason so many children are alive and thriving today.
Imagine what the future could hold. At The Kids, we’re working towards a world where every child can grow up happy and healthy.
By leaving a gift in your Will, you can help make that future possible. Your legacy will:
• Help us attract the brightest and most passionate researchers.
• Fuel bold, innovative ideas that lead to breakthroughs with real-world impact.
• Ensure our discoveries change lives – not just here in WA, but across Australia and the world.
Executive Director of The Kids, Professor Jonathan Carapetis AM, says those who leave a gift in their Will to The Kids are helping to create a world where every child has the chance to live a full and vibrant life.
“A gift in your Will is a powerful way to show you believe in a better tomorrow. Because when you choose to care for kids through medical research, you help create a world filled with more laughter, more joy, and more happy, healthy kids.
To find out more about leaving a gift in your Will please contact giving@thekids.org.au
Major grants fuel child health research
Six researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia have been awarded $11.6 million in prestigious Investigator Grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council to pursue innovative child health research focused on intellectual disabilities, the unmet health needs of adolescents, malaria control in Africa, Strep A and rheumatic heart disease, mental health, and Aboriginal cancer health outcomes.
Investigator Grants, announced by Federal Health Minister Mark Butler as part of a $422 million investment in health and medical researchers across Australia, provide the nation’s top researchers – at all career stages – with five years of secure funding to address some of Australia and the world’s most pressing health challenges.
Professor Jenny Downs, Head of the Development and Disability Research Program at The Kids, has been awarded $2.9 million to improve health and quality of life for children with intellectual disabilities. She will lead a team to analyse large datasets to understand risk factors for health and health service outcomes, including potentially preventable hospitalisations.
Professor Peter Azzopardi, Head of Adolescent Health and Wellbeing at The Kids and Global Adolescent Health Professor at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, has received $2.8 million to identify the most effective ways to improve adolescent health across the Asia Pacific region. His research will address three key areas that emerge during adolescence and have seen little improvement: mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and obesity.
Professor Nick Golding, Head of Infectious Disease Ecology and Modelling at The Kids and Adjunct Professor in the School of Population Health at Curtin University, has received $2.6 million to conduct mapping and forecasting to counter biological threats
to malaria control in Africa. Due to the stalling of malaria control and rising biological threats, Professor Golding’s team hopes to develop continental-scale models to accurately track the status of threats to malaria control and project them into the future.
Professor Jonathan Carapetis AM, Executive Director of The Kids, has been awarded $2 million to advance his decades-long research on Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD), aiming to eliminate RHD entirely.
The research will be conducted within a world-leading framework of First Nations leadership that has been championed by Professor Carapetis.
Dr Penelope Strauss, a Research Fellow in Youth Suicide Prevention at The Kids and Adjunct Research Fellow in The University of Western Australia’s School of Population and Global Health, has been awarded $688,000 to improve suicide prevention and mental health support for young people of diverse genders.
Dr Justine Clark, a post-doctoral researcher in Indigenous genomics at The Kids, has been awarded $685,000 to improve Aboriginal cancer health outcomes in the precision medicine era. Extending her team’s existing work, she aims to translate new knowledge of blood cancer genomics among an Aboriginal cohort into the clinic.
Professor Downs, Professor Carapetis and Dr Strauss’ grants will be administered through The University of Western Australia, while Professor Golding, Dr Clark and Professor Azzopardi’s grants will be administered by Curtin University, the Australian National University and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute respectively.
Fatima with her children Donya and Amir
From left: Professor Jenny Downs, Professor Peter Azzopardi, Professor Nick Golding, Professor Jonathan Carapetis AM, Dr Penelope Strauss, Dr Justine Clark
Pioneering new treatments for leukaemia in children with Down syndrome
A team of world-leading scientists has secured $5 million in funding from the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Society to advance the fight against leukaemia in children with Down syndrome (DS).
The funding will support four innovative projects that aim to develop better, less harmful treatments for these vulnerable kids. One of the participating researchers is Dr Sébastien Malinge from The Kids Research Institute Australia’s WA Kids Cancer Centre
Children with Down syndrome face a 20 times higher risk of developing leukaemia compared to other kids. This is due to their extra copy of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21), which plays a role in how their cells grow and divide. Children with DS who are diagnosed with leukaemia of the lymphoid lineage (named DS-ALL) are often not able to tolerate the treatments that work for other children. This can lead to high rates of relapse and severe side effects. These kids need treatments that are both effective and gentle, and that is where this research comes in.
The first project will explore why children with DS are prone to a pre-leukaemia condition called transient abnormal myelopoiesis during foetal life, which can develop into full-blown leukaemia. The second project will investigate why some cases of leukaemia in these children become resistant to chemotherapy, and will seek new strategies to overcome this resistance.
The third project will lay the groundwork for future clinical trials, testing new therapies that combine different treatment approaches. The final project, co-led by Dr Malinge and his Translational Genomics in Leukaemia team, will focus on understanding the close relationship between trisomy 21 and a specific gene that is mutated in more than 50 percent of cases, CRLF2, in the development of leukaemia.
Unlocking new treatments
Dr Malinge’s project is particularly exciting because it could lead to completely new ways of treating leukaemia in children with DS. The CRLF2 gene is often rearranged in these children. By studying how CRLF2 interacts with the pathways altered by trisomy 21, Dr Malinge hopes to find new targets for better and safer therapies. The team will perform drug screens and use cutting-edge technology, like gene editing, to explore these connections and test potential treatments in their unique DS-ALL models. If successful, this research could pave the way for clinical trials in the future.
Beyond the lab
A global collaboration
To tackle this issue, a specialised centre of research was established, bringing together 13 experts from across five countries. Their goal is to understand the biology of leukaemia in children with DS and to develop new, targeted therapies with reduced side effects. The work is divided into four interconnected projects, each focusing on a different aspect of leukaemia in DS.
Dr Malinge is passionate about improving leukaemia outcomes for children with DS. He has served on the board of the WA Down Syndrome Committee for four years, advocating for better support and care for children with DS. His work on this new project is driven by a deep desire to make a real difference in the lives of these kids, who deserve the best chance at a healthy future.The hope is that the findings from this research will lead to new, less toxic treatments that not only help children with Down syndrome but also benefit other children and young adults with leukaemia.
Custom mental health app empowers new mums with lifelong wellbeing skills
A custom app designed by researchers from ORIGINS, Joondalup Health Campus and The Kids Research Institute Australia is helping to improve the mental and emotional health of pregnant women and new mums.
Despite the availability of numerous mental health apps, few apps targeted at perinatal women are tailored to build positive mental health and emotional wellbeing. Of existing apps, there is almost no research looking at perinatal women’s uptake of and engagement with them.
Identifying this gap, ORIGINS Co-Director Dr Jackie Davis collaborated with researchers at The Kids to develop and pilot the Mums Minds Matter study, a sub-project within the ORIGINS longitudinal birth cohort platform that is investigating the most effective resources to support emotional heath before, during and after pregnancy.
“Maternal psychological distress – that is prolonged stress, anxiety and depression – is related to poorer physical and mental health in mothers, as well as developmental problems in their children,” Dr Davis said.
“Research strongly supports that early intervention and prevention of psychological distress in women is fundamentally important in supporting the mental and physical development of both child and mother.”
The study saw women randomly allocated to one of three stress-reduction training programs, including an app designed by the team which guided participants through a series of mental health skills. Twelve months after the study concluded, they found participants were still using those skills.
“The sustained use of skills learned through the study’s app implies that Digital Mental Health Interventions (DMHIs) have the potential to be an affordable and effective treatment to help mothers struggling emotionally,” Dr Davis said.
Participants described how, even a year after the program finished, the stress-reduction training they had received continued to enable regular relaxation through breathing exercises and visualisations.
Ghislaine Platell said the app had helped her embrace slowing down and being present – an approach she had known she needed as a parent but had found harder than expected to adopt.
“I’ve always dealt with mild anxiety, but after I received my ADHD diagnosis while pregnant with my second child, I joined Mums Minds Matter because I know my mental health is important, and I wanted to know how it impacted my children as well,” Ms Platell said.
“Having an awareness of your own mental state while you’re parenting enables you to be your best, most calm self, for them.”
She said the study had highlighted the importance of prioritising her own mental health – benefiting not only herself but teaching her children positive habits.
“It’s so beneficial. I know myself that changing behaviours later in life is trickier in theory. If you know how to do that from the start, you’re going to be a lot better off.”
Dr Davis and the Mums Minds Matter team aim to provide recommendations on the design of current and future mental health apps targeted to perinatal women to increase long-term engagement and mental wellbeing.
Mums Minds Matter is a sub-project of ORIGINS, the largest longitudinal study of its in kind in Australia, running in collaboration with The Kids Research Institute Australia and Joondalup Health Campus. Following 10,000 WA children from their time in the womb into early childhood, its goal is to better understand the developmental origins of chronic conditions and reduce the rising epidemic of noncommunicable diseases.
To learn more about Mums Minds Matter click here.
Researchers Chloe Buckingham and Dr Sébastien Malinge
Ghislaine Platell and her family
WA leading the race to stop one of the deadliest bugs
you have never heard about
It is the nastiest bug you’ve probably never heard of: the fifth most lethal pathogen in the world.
For most, Strep A causes a sore throat. However, this relatively common bacterium can quickly become deadly.
Sepsis is the leading cause of early childhood death globally, with more than four million children dying from the illness every year. Many bugs can cause sepsis, but Strep A – the bacterium responsible for the death of seven-year-old Aishwarya Aswath at Perth Children’s Hospital in 2021 – is among the most common and can affect any child.
Like meningococcal disease, time is critical when it comes to Strep A – a child can go from being perfectly healthy to the brink of death in just hours.
Invasive Strep A can also cause pneumonia, septicaemia, meningitis, bone and joint infections, scarlet fever, toxic shock syndrome, and flesheating disease. The bug is also responsible for other devastating diseases, including rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease and kidney disease.
The Strep A bacterium is easily spread and, like many infectious diseases, disproportionately affects infants and the elderly, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people with a low immune system or chronic disease. But nobody is immune from this bug.
It kills more than 500,000 people every year.
In Perth, The Kids Research Institute Australia is spearheading global efforts to tackle this insidious bacterium and reduce its impact on kids’ health.
We are the headquarters for the world’s leading program to develop a safe and effective vaccine against Strep A. Partnering with industry, public health organisations and academic institutes across the globe, we are working to fast-track the first in-human studies of a vaccine candidate.
Evidence from other serious invasive infections tells us that a vaccine would have a major impact in protecting kids from sepsis.
But while a vaccine would undoubtedly be a massive breakthrough for invasive Strep A, and would likely have a big impact on other diseases like rheumatic heart disease, we know it is not a magic bullet. So The Kids is tackling Strep A on multiple fronts.
Led by our Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, we are accelerating research to develop a fster, more accurate diagnostic tool to identify whether a child has sepsis, to ensure quicker access to lifesaving treatment.
We are also well advanced in developing a world-first diagnostic test for rheumatic fever, which would be a major advance in Australia and in all developing countries. And we are developing a new penicillin injection that lasts longer and is considerably less painful than what we have now, so patients do not avoid this critical treatment that prevents rheumatic fever recurrences.
Indeed, our approach to rheumatic heart disease is tackling every angle, from reducing exposure to Strep A in the first place, right through to preventing severe complications when rheumatic fever does happen.
Critically, The Kids is approaching these multi-faceted research priorities guided by those who live with these diseases and their consequences every day.
We are fortunate to have the leadership of Aboriginal controlled health organisations and communities who have great insight into the complexities of tackling this disease, and are highly effective advocates for families with lived experience, to ensure our research delivers what is really needed.
By working together, it is our ambition that within the next decade we will have a vaccine for Strep A, we will be able to diagnose these diseases more accurately and quickly, we will address critical environmental challenges, and treatments for the worst complications of the bug will be more effective and less painful.
We are committed to eliminating the suffering and deaths caused by this deadly bacterium.
From a cold to a crisis: Adele’s fight against Strep A
What began as a common cold for eight-yearold Adele quickly turned into a life-threatening emergency.
Within 24 hours of developing a sore neck and fever, Adele’s parents, Cassie and Trent Reading, rushed her to hospital. Scans revealed a severe throat infection and cellulitis spreading through her neck, displacing vertebrae and threatening vital structures.
Diagnosed with invasive Strep A, Adele endured multiple surgeries, intubation and days in intensive care under the care of ENT, infectious diseases, cardiac, spinal and general medicine teams. Scarily, Adele’s infection returned after initial treatment, prompting further surgery and several days in ICU. Her recovery required months of intravenous antibiotics, including in-home care with a nurse visiting three times daily.
Adele’s story shows just how fast and deadly Strep A can be. What seems like a simple illness can quickly become critical. That’s why Professor Jonathan Carapetis AM and his team at the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases are working to develop a life-saving vaccine.
Professor Jonathan Carapetis, Executive Director, The Kids Research Institute Australia, presented ‘Not just a sore throat: The race to stop one of the deadliest bugs on the planet’ at The Kids’ annual Governors Lecture in November 2024 and in Adelaide at our inaugural Adelaide Lecture in May 2025. In Perth, The Kids is spearheading global efforts to tackle this insidious bacterium and reduce its impact on kids’ health.
To make a donation, click here or email giving@thekids.org.au
Professor Jonathan Carapetis AM
Silver lining to early arrivals
CIRCA DIEM is using an inexpensive set of eye masks and ear plugs to teach babies born too soon how to tell the difference between night and day – a simple skill which could have lifelong implications for their health and development.
Tommy Ross’s birth in February 2023 could scarcely have been more dramatic.
Not only did Mum Elle Ross have to be airlifted from Rottnest Island via emergency chopper – complete with a ride to the nursing station on a luggage trolley and a golf cart after no wheelchair could be found – but Tommy’s arrival was far earlier than anyone wanted.
Born at just 25 weeks and five days’ gestation, Tommy was extremely premature – even more so than his older brother, Finn, who was also born early, at 31 weeks and six days’ gestation.
For Elle and Ken Ross, the fact both their babies were early was not the surprise – Elle had been advised she was unlikely to carry a child beyond 32 weeks. But neither of them had been expecting Tommy to come even earlier than Finn, who had spent a month in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at King Edward Memorial Hospital in 2020.
For Tommy, that stay would be even longer – 100 days.
He finally went home on Mother’s Day, 2023, much to the relief of Elle and Ken, who had been juggling care for Finn with daily trips into the NICU from their home in West Swan.
“Having to leave them there is just the worst bit,” Elle said. “Even driving through the tunnel now brings it back and makes me emotional. I still look around whenever I hear the beep of heart monitors or other hospital equipment on TV.”
The family is deeply grateful for the care they and their boys received during their two extended spells in the NICU. Eager to give back in some way, they immediately agreed when asked shortly after each admission if they’d like to take part in a research study being led by The Kids Research Institute Australia.
The CIRCA DIEM Study uses an inexpensive set of eye masks and ear plugs to teach babies born too soon how to tell the difference between night and day – a simple skill which could have lifelong implications for their health and development.
The study aims to kickstart premature babies’ circadian rhythms – internal body clocks which govern everything from sleep and body temperature to appetite, metabolism, mental health, immune system, and ability to think.
“A baby’s circadian rhythms typically develop late in pregnancy, shortly before birth,” study lead Professor Jane Pillow said. “Babies born too early miss out on these vital signals, with the noise and constant lighting in the hospital environment providing no day-night cues and making it even harder for them to develop these vital rhythms.
“What we’re trying to do with this study is to see if, with this very simple intervention very soon after birth, we can not only improve their shortterm health – helping them to come home sooner – but also improve their lifelong health and wellbeing.”
Finn, now aged 4 years, was one of the earliest babies signed up to the study, which aims to recruit 954 babies across Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Babies are randomly assigned to either the intervention group – having eye masks and ear plugs fitted nightly and being exposed to more light during
the day – or the control group, where they receive routine care.
The Ross family have one child in each – Finn in the intervention group and Tommy, now 21 months old, in the control group.
“It felt like a gift to me to be involved,” Elle said. “The developmental checkups and assistance along the way have been eyeopening and just given me so much information.”
The research team recently signed up their 600th CIRCA DIEM baby, a little boy born at 28 weeks and five days at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide.
“We’re so grateful to all of the families who have agreed to take part in this research – it’s vitally important that we do studies like this so we can find ways to better support families and ensure babies born prematurely can thrive throughout life,” Professor Pillow said.
DIEM started in 2019 at the Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) based at King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH), expanding to multiple NICUs across Australia and New Zealand in 2021 to become the largest and most comprehensive study of its kind in the world. The study involves researchers from The Kids, with King Edward Memorial Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital the main recruiting sites in WA. For more information on CIRCA DIEM scan here.
Professor Jane Pillow is a clinical academic neonatologist, Senior Principal Research Fellow and NHMRC Leadership Fellow at the UWA School of Human Sciences and at The Kids Research Institute Australia, where she is Team Lead, Chronobiology.
To learn more about Circa Diem click here.
Tommy Ross (2), Elle Ross, Finn Ross (4), Ken Ross, and Professor Jane Pillow
CIRCA
Finn Ross in the NICU at King Edward Memorial Hospital in 2020
Community fundraisers
Dimasi Christmas lights supporting The Kids Rett Syndrome Research
Thank you to the Dimasi family, who raised more than $4,500 - smashing their target of $2,000 - at their annual Christmas Lights Fundraiser for Rett syndrome research, held in support of their niece, Ava, who lives with the rare neurological condition.
Community members across Perth, including our very own Program Head of Development and Disability at The Kids, Professor Jenny Downs (pictured right), joined in on the festive fun to support young Ava and the Dimasi family in raising vital funds at their dazzling Christmas lights display in Beeliar.
Rett Syndrome is caused by a rare gene mutation, causing severe physical and intellectual disabilities. The condition affects one in every 9,000 girls - with an average of one born every year in Western Australia - and can lead to seizures, irregular breathing, scoliosis, and gastrointestinal issues.
Unfortunately, there is no cure. Our researchers at The Kids, including Professor Downs, continue to focus on understanding Rett syndrome, improving clinical care and advocating for parents, and contributing to international research to discover a cure.
Nickolai’s bracelets for childhood brain cancer
At just eight years old, Nickolai was diagnosed with medulloblastoma after weeks of mysterious symptoms. His journey involved major surgery, months of treatment, and a long road to recovery. During his treatment, doctors asked whether a sample of his tumour could be donated to research. Nickolai’s answer was simple and powerful: “If it saves one kid, I’ll do it.”
Now in remission, Nickolai is continuing to give back - this time through a handmade bracelet fundraiser supporting the Brain Tumour Research Program at The Kids Research Institute Australia.
He first began beading to rebuild his hand-eye coordination after treatment. But with hundreds of bracelets piling up, his mum suggested turning them into something even more meaningful. They hoped to sell 500 bracelets in a year - but sold out in just two weeks.
Nickolai recently visited our cancer laboratory to meet the researchers his fundraising is supporting, selling even more bracelets in the process.
“It took a few years after his diagnosis and remission for me and his mum to start breathing normally again,” Nickolai’s dad, Nathan, said. “This has been a great focus for us. Nickolai hasn’t stopped talking about meeting the
Since launching Nickolai’s Bracelets for Childhood Brain Cancer, he’s raised more than $4,200. The impact of his efforts goes far beyond the totalNickolai is inspiring others, helping researchers, and showing just how much one young person can achieve, despite his many hurdles.
When asked what he’d like his supporters to know, Nickolai gave a cheeky smile said: “Tell your friends about us.”
We are so grateful to Nickolai for his incredible fundraising efforts. If you would like to organise your own community fundraising event for The Kids please contact Kari Harrison at kari.harrison@ thekids.org.au for more information.
Thank you to the Dimasi family and to all those who donated, for supporting children's health during the festive season. Your support will help drive vital research that can make a real difference for Ava and countless others.
Nickolai in hospital, right, and left with Professor Nick Gottardo.
Below, Nickolai with members of The Kids Cancer Centre team
Above: Ava and the Dimasi family
Left: Professor Jenny Downs
Projects to probe role of dads and help parents navigate teens’ digital world
A project that will investigate the role of Australian fathers in their children’s wellbeing and another which aims to help parents grapple with the digital world and its role in teens’ mental health have received significant funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC).
The two projects, each led by The Kids Research Institute Australia in collaboration with other research institutions, are among 536 across the country to share in more than $342.2 million made available through the 2025 ARC Discovery Projects scheme.
Understanding the role of dads in kids’ wellbeing
Professor Francis Mitrou, Program Head of Population Health and Team Head of Human Development and Community Wellbeing at The Kids, will lead a team in a project which examines how fathers’ involvement in their children’s lives shapes the child’s long-term wellbeing.
Professor Mitrou, who is also part of The University of Western Australia’s Medical School, said the importance of caregiving on children’s outcomes was generally well understood, but Australia lacked evidence about the impact of fathers and male caregivers on children’s long-term developmental outcomes.
“This project will describe the impact that male caregivers have on the growth and development of their children’s wellbeing across time and how this may predict wellbeing in later life,” Professor Mitrou said.
Other investigators on the project, which has received $1.34 million in funding, include Dr Vincent Mancini, Emeritus Professor Stephen Zubrick and Dr Vu Vuong from The Kids, and researchers from UWA, Deakin University, the University of Melbourne, Monash University, Federation University Australia, and collaborating partner The Movember Foundation.
Cracking the code to help parents and teens navigate the digital world
Professor Kathryn Modecki – who is Head of the Developmental Science of Mental Health Team at The Kids, and FHRI Distinguished Fellow and Professor of
Psychological Science at UWA – will lead a project which aims to answer some of the most pressing questions scientists and parents now face, as adolescents turn to a modern digital toolbox to cope with ever-growing challenges and stressors.
The project will combine a nationwide survey of parents and the varied ways they seek to support their teens, with novel insights into parents’ and teens’ daily life via data streamed from their smartphones.
Addressing not just the ‘who’ but the ‘when, why, and how’ of digital parenting of today’s teen, the project promises to generate new knowledge to help adolescents make the most of opportunities, enhance mental health and wellbeing, and reduce risk.
Professor Modecki said more than a third of Australian adolescents felt they could not cope effectively with their stress, with many turning to digital tools, platforms, and social media to connect with supports or find information to help.
Other investigators on the project, which has received $400,730, include Professor Bep Uink from Edith Cowan University and The Kids, as well as researchers from Griffith University, the University of California and Arizona State University.
Generous new funding to fast-track rare diagnosis and unlock new treatments
Research that screens novel genetic variants identified in disease will be fast-tracked by a funding boost, offering new hope of an early diagnosis for families of children with a rare or undiagnosed genetic disease.
A team from The Kids Research Institute Australia has already reduced the time it takes to screen genetic variants from around five years to 12 months, and now hopes to further reduce this to less than 12 weeks.
The three-year project has been made possible in part by an AUD$2.7 million grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative DAF, an advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
The grant will support research by a team co-led by Dr Vanessa Fear and Associate Professor Timo Lassmann from The Kids with Clinical Professor Gareth Baynam from the Rare Care Centre at Perth Children’s Hospital. Together, they will develop a revolutionary protocol known as SCRIPT (Single-cell CRISPR to Identify Pathogenesis with Transcriptomics), which helps scientists rapidly determine whether a genetic change is responsible for a disease. This supports earlier and more accurate diagnoses for patients.
Dr Fear said the project would build on the team’s previous screening success to fast-track a new, faster and more informative method that would enable the functional interpretation of hundreds of patient genetic variants in a single assay.
“SCRIPT works by using CRISPR gene editing and stem cell models to create ‘avatars’ of a patient’s disease,” Dr Fear said. “These avatars can be grown in a dish alongside the avatars from other patients, allowing us to study numerous variations simultaneously.
“Individual cells are first sorted based on the presence of specific genetic variants and then analysed for changes in gene activity in comparison to their healthy
neighbours. By pinpointing these changes, SCRIPT can determine disease causality (pathogenicity), identify potential treatments, and predict disease progression.”
Associate Professor Lassmann from The Kids said advances in precision health were transforming how genetic diseases were diagnosed and understood, with new approaches accelerating the path from discovery to real-world impact.
“Our ability to analyse genetic variants at scale is redefining what is possible in diagnosis and treatment,” Associate Professor Lassmann said.
By combining cutting-edge technologies with a deep commitment to collaboration and scientific excellence, we are shaping a future where precision health delivers tangible benefits to children and families. This is part of a broader effort at The Kids to drive innovation and translate research into meaningful health outcomes.”
Clinical Professor Gareth Baynam, Medical Director of the Rare Care Centre, said the project had the potential to deliver a diagnosis sooner and ensure better care, improving the lives of children with a rare or undiagnosed disease.
“This high throughput and scalable method simultaneously assesses large numbers of genetic variants in under three months. It will deliver an earlier diagnosis and new treatment insights, leading to better treatments, life-changing interventions, access to clinical trials and decreased health care costs,” Clinical Professor Baynam said.
Professor Kathryn Modecki
Jake Hammer and his son Hugo
The research team thanked the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative for their generous support of the program of work.
Associate Professor Timo Lassmann, Dr Vanessa Fear and Clinical Professor Gareth Baynam
ORIGINS empowering parents
to seek help at the right time for their kids’ health
A new assessment tool to empower parents to support their child’s early development will be made possible thanks to $746,051 in funding from the Federal Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).
Researchers from ORIGINS, Australia’s largest longitudinal birth cohort study of its kind, are developing the Flourishing Assessment and Pathway Tool to address gaps in early intervention for children's mental health due to delayed identification and limited parental support.
ORIGINS Co-Director and Chief Investigator of The Flourishing Child project, Dr Jackie Davis, said that provision of accessible, targeted supports for parents in their child's early years was critical to reducing the rising number of children entering school with social and emotional delays, including undiagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders and mental health issues.
"Our hope in creating this assessment and tool is to shift the focus in children's physical and mental health from treatment to prevention," Dr Davis said.
"This tool will empower parents to seek help at the right time, in the right place and with the right resources, aiming to reduce developmental issues over the course of their children’s lives."
Through extensive consultations with early childhood researchers and families, including those with neurodivergent children or those with chronic conditions, ORIGINS has defined 'flourishing' as a measure of child wellbeing that refers to the extent to which a child experiences love, safety, positive lifestyle, fun and happiness.
The Hollett family, pictured, is among those providing consumer feedback on the project. Mr Hollett said he hoped to see the tool benefit families across Australia, especially those in vulnerable communities.
“I’ve got two kids, both ORIGINS participants, and there’s just so much conflicting parenting advice out there - especially when it comes to raising boys versus girls,” Mr Hollett said.
“My eldest, Hazel, is seven. As a dad who’s obviously never been a seven-year-old girl, I know there are going to be things I just don’t fully understand about what she’s going through. Having a tool that could help me figure out if she needs extra support - and point me straight to the right resources - would be incredibly helpful to me and other families across Australia."
Dr Davis said the intention of the tool was to improve parental efficacy in identifying childhood flourishing, increase parental confidence in knowing when and how to seek help, and increase uptake of existing support services.
ORIGINS advocates for early intervention and prevention to halt the rates of growing mental health concerns in children.
"Within our existing ORIGINS community in the Wanneroo and Joondalup community, we'll co-design a Flourishing Assessment to provide information on the
child's flourishing markers to their parent or caregiver," Dr Davis said.
"Once completed, we will develop and test a digital Pathway Tool which will direct users to a wide range of information, such as links to evidence-based digital applications, standard community services, tip sheets and websites."
Once developing and testing is complete, ORIGINS hopes to expand the availability of the tool to the wider community and adapt it to regional and diverse populations.
Program helps to reduce impact of anxiety on autistic kids
New research led by CliniKids at The Kids Research Institute Australia has found the first evidence that intervening early may help to reduce the impact of anxiety for autistic children and their families.
Researchers at The Kids and The University of Western Australia trialled an eight-week program called CUES (Coping with Uncertainty in Everyday Situations) for families of young autistic children (4-7 years) who were experiencing significant and disabling anxiety around uncertainty.
During the program, parents learnt about uncertainty and its relationship to anxiety, and were given individualised tools and strategies to manage uncertainty at home and other everyday situations, such as school and shopping.
Some of these children experienced significant anxiety around attending kindy, going to birthday parties, teacher changes, unpredictable sensory experiences, or changes in their routines.
Lead researcher Dr Gail Alvares, Senior Research Fellow at CliniKids, said the CUES program had a significant effect on reducing the impact of uncertainty anxiety on both children and families compared to the study’s control group.
Out of the 64 families who participated in the program, almost 60 per cent experienced significant improvements in child anxiety and parental stress, she said.
“Given four out of every five autistic people are likely to experience an anxiety disorder, these findings highlight the importance of providing early supports for young autistic children,” Dr Alvares said.
“By reducing the impact of anxiety for autistic children, children are able to do things they weren’t able to do before and their parents’ capacity to support them improves.”
Researchers at The Kids are now trialling an online version of CUES so that families across Australia can trial the program. For more information on the CUES Study, click here
Dr Gail Alvares
Jake takes running in his stride
It is hard to believe that this child - who now confidently tackles State-level athletics - used to suffer crippling anxiety just at the thought of competing.
Jake Saunders’ turnaround is largely in part to his mum Caroline’s involvement in the CUES-Junior (Coping with Uncertainty in Everyday Situations) research trial, led by CliniKids at The Kids Research Institute Australia and The University of Western Australia.
Mrs Saunders said Jake, who was diagnosed with autism just shy of his third birthday, always had trouble with winning or losing and would have meltdowns after racing.
“Jake always put a lot of pressure on himself, and he would worry about his heart beating too fast,” Mrs Saunders said.
“He has learnt to manage his anxiety and now understands how his body responds physically to adrenaline.
“He also learnt good sportsmanship skills and is far more resilient, which all combines to help him pursue his passion for running.”
The CUES-Junior trial was funded by the WA Department of Health and Channel 7 Telethon Trust through the WA Child Research Fund, and by PhD funding through The University of Western Australia.
Jake Saunders
We’re here to ensure kids get every chance to live happier, healthier lives. There’s always more thinking to be done, whether it’s about childhood cancer, new vaccines, or making it easier for kids with asthma to breathe. That thinking leaves the lab and changes lives, so kids can get back to being kids.
Learn about our groundbreaking research at thekids.org.au