About

The Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases brings together a number of independent researchers and research teams with a common aim; to find and deliver new and improved solutions to prevent and treat serious infections experienced by children or adolescents.    

In a unique multi-disciplinary approach, our Centre is tackling infectious diseases and vaccine development on a range of research fronts using a wide range of research methods, including epidemiological and surveillance projects to monitor infections and risks in populations; laboratory-based (pre-clinical) projects to understand mechanisms of disease and vaccine-induced protection; and implementation projects and clinical trials to find the best affordable and feasible strategies using existing interventions to improve the health of as many children as possible, or to test new drugs and vaccines.

We are committed to work within our capacity that any outcomes we produce will be taken back and used in a clinic, community or government setting.

Vision

To reduce the impact of infectious diseases through excellent and innovative research, partnership with families and community, translation, and advocacy.

We are working in close collaboration with other research groups around Australia and across the globe, and we are facilitating community partnerships by promoting educational and training initiatives.

Mission

To reduce the burden of infectious diseases, enabling families to thrive.

Our objectives

Childhood Infections: reducing the burden of childhood infections

• Reduce vaccine preventable diseases, preventing hospitalisation and morbidity
• Develop, trial, and evaluate infection prevention and treatment strategies
• Enhance sepsis recognition and treatment to improve childhood outcomes

Aboriginal Health: ensuring equity and reducing health disadvantage

• Prevent ear, skin, and lung disease, improving short and long-term outcomes
• Prevent rheumatic heart disease, saving lives and closing the gap
• Ensure all research occurs in partnership with community and is guided by a strong Aboriginal voice

Global Public Health: promoting health through research and partnerships

• Develop novel approaches to reduce emerging threats including antimicrobial resistance and vaccine hesitancy
• Prevent the health harms of COVID-19 and emerging pathogens

Background

Infectious diseases continue to be most common reason for hospitalisation of young children in Western Australia and the number one cause of death in children worldwide.

The threat from infectious diseases is a growing problem due to globalisation, increased mobility, over-crowding, greater urbanisation and excessive antibiotic use.

Vaccines together with improved hygiene have made the biggest impact in reducing infectious diseases around the world. They are responsible for eradicating smallpox and virtually eliminating polio. Measles, diphtheria, and whooping cough infections are also at an all-time low thanks to vaccines.

By doing more research into their safe and most effective use there is enormous scope for vaccines to contribute even more to public health. This includes more research to understand what the burden of infectious diseases is in different populations, how this changes over time and what the most important risk factors are. At the same time, more basic research is needed to understand the mechanisms of disease and disease severity, and how vaccines work and could work better to provide better and longer protection. Not all serious infections can yet be prevented by vaccines, and more research to discover and develop new vaccines is needed, but also where vaccines are not available, not used, or not effective, better diagnostic tools that can tell in the shortest possible time whether a child has a serious infection or not and better and new ways to treat are needed.