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Research sheds new light on childhood Leukaemia treatment

A The Kids study examining drug resistance in leukaemia patients has shed new light on why some treatments may be more effective than others.

Research

Characteristics of TCR Repertoire Associated With Successful Immune Checkpoint Therapy Responses

Immunotherapies have revolutionized cancer treatment. In particular, immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) leads to durable responses in some patients with some cancers. However, the majority of treated patients do not respond. Understanding immune mechanisms that underlie responsiveness to ICT will help identify predictive biomarkers of response and develop treatments to convert non-responding patients to responding ones. ICT primarily acts at the level of adaptive immunity. The specificity of adaptive immune cells, such as T and B cells, is determined by antigen-specific receptors.

Research

Intraseason decline in influenza vaccine effectiveness during the 2016 southern hemisphere influenza season: A test-negative design study and phylogenetic assessment

Overall, the 2016 influenza vaccine showed good protection against laboratory-confirmed infection among general practice patients

Research

Durvalumab with first-line chemotherapy in previously untreated malignant pleural mesothelioma (DREAM): a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial with a safety run-in

There is a strong unmet need to improve systemic therapy in mesothelioma. Chemotherapy with cisplatin and pemetrexed improves survival in malignant pleural mesothelioma, and immune checkpoint inhibitors are an emerging treatment in this disease. We aimed to evaluate the activity of durvalumab, an anti-PD-L1 antibody, given during and after first-line chemotherapy with cisplatin and pemetrexed in patients with advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Research

Impact of influenza on hospitalization rates in children with a range of chronic lung diseases

This large population-based study suggests a significant healthcare burden associated with influenza in children with a range of chronic lung diseases

Research

Outcomes for Australian children with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukaemia treated with blinatumomab

We report on the Australian experience of blinatumomab for treatment of 24 children with relapsed/refractory precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) and high-risk genetics, resulting in a minimal residual disease (MRD) response rate of 58%, 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) of 39% and 2-year overall survival of 63%. In total, 83% (n = 20/24) proceeded to haematopoietic stem cell transplant, directly after blinatumomab (n = 12) or following additional salvage therapy (n = 8).

Research

Influenza vaccine effectiveness and uptake in children at risk of severe disease

Participation in the preschool influenza vaccination program remains low with parents unconvinced of the benefits and safety of influenza vaccine

Research

RUNX2 regulates leukemic cell metabolism and chemotaxis in high-risk T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy with inferior outcome compared with that of B cell ALL. Here, we show that Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) was upregulated in high-risk T-ALL with KMT2A rearrangements (KMT2A-R) or an immature immunophenotype. In KMT2A-R cells, we identified RUNX2 as a direct target of the KMT2A chimeras, where it reciprocally bound the KMT2A promoter, establishing a regulatory feed-forward mechanism.

Research

Effectiveness of trivalent flu vaccine in healthy young children

This paper reports some of the findings from the Western Australian Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Study, commenced in 2008, to evaluate a program providing...

Research

Invasive fungal disease in children with acute myeloid leukaemia: An Australian multicentre 10-year review

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is a common and important complication in children with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). We describe the epidemiology of IFD in a large multicentre cohort of children with AML.

Research

No role for neutrophil elastase in influenza-induced cellular recruitment, cytokine production or airway hyperresponsiveness in mice

Previous studies have suggested that in vitro modulation of neutrophil chemokines and inflammatory cytokines by neutrophil elastase (NE) does not translate to t

Research

The impact of Influenza infection during early life on immune development

This study will investigate the why disease is worse in infants and how early life viral infection impacts the developing immune system.

News & Events

Flu jab for school kids best defence from virus, experts say

Up to 40,000 influenza cases could be prevented in Western Australia this winter if more primary school-aged children were vaccinated, researchers at The Kids Research Institute Australia have found.

News & Events

RSV and influenza detections hit record low levels in 2020

Western Australia has experienced historically low levels of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza this winter due to the public health measures implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

News & Events

Video: Flu vaccine Q&A

It's that time of year again... Flu vaccine time! Watch Dr Chris Blyth answer commonly asked questions in the video below.