Seven innovative lung health research projects supported by Wal-yan Centre funding

Seven innovative lung health research projects have received funding support as the 2023 Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre Strategic Inspiration Projects.

The projects all align to the purpose of the Centre - to undertake innovative, transformative work where teams come together to create significant impact and value to our community.

Valued at a total of $1.99 million, the successful projects are looking at:

• accelerating an innovative, patented, therapeutic avenue to treat childhood wheezing and asthma using a new class of drugs that enhance airway epithelial repair
• clearly defining the impact of climate change on children’s respiratory health in Australia
• if the way our immune system develops before birth is similar to how it functions in our respiratory system when we are older
• analysing the inhalable aerosols produced by e-cigarettes and relating the outcomes directly to the resultant health risks
• development of a clinical program to implement bacteriophage (phage) therapy for bacterial infections that are resistant to antibiotics
• working in partnership with First Nations communities throughout WA and wider Australia, local State and Aboriginal health services to reduce the significant Indigenous health gap in relation to respiratory disease, and
• whether azithromycin - a commonly used antibiotic – is a safe, simple and affordable intervention to prevent severe early life acute respiratory infections in those born very preterm.

All supported projects, which were endorsed by the Wal-yan Centre Scientific Steering Committee, set out to make significant impact within the Centre’s six strategic research areas. Importantly, they all provide the opportunity for collaboration and involvement from researchers across the Centre.

The scientific investment for these grants is thanks to a powerhouse partnership between The Kids Institute, Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation and Perth Children’s Hospital, as well as the generous support of Big Brother, Conquer Cystic Fibrosis and Mineral Resources Limited.

Congratulations to the project teams and the following project leads:

2023 Strategic Inspiration Projects

Focus Area:	Beating Chronic Lung Disease
Project:	Preventing respiratory deterioration: a new class of airway repair therapeutics
Team Lead:	Dr Thomas Iosifidis
Funding:	$270k
Focus Area:	Early Life Influences
Project:	STopping severe Acute Respiratory Infections usinG AZithromycin in babies born EaRly (STARGAZER)
Team Lead:	Associate Professor Shannon Simpson
Funding:	$300k
Focus Area:	Respiratory Infections and Immune Systems
Project:	The amnion as surrogate for developing foetal tissue
Team Lead:	Professor Stephen Stick
Funding:	$250k
Focus Area:	Lungs and the Environment
Project 1:	Understanding the toxicity of Australian e-cigarette aerosols
Team Lead:	Associate Professor Alex Larcombe
Funding:	$270k
Project 2:	It’s time to face the future: Climate change and children’s respiratory health in Australia
Team Lead:	Professor Peter Le Souëf
Funding:	$250k
Focus Area:	Indigenous Health
Project:	Building Respiratory Equity for Aboriginal Children in WA and Beyond
Team Lead:	Associate Professor Andre Schultz
Funding:	$250k
Focus Area:	Implementation into Clinics
Project:	Tackling antibiotic-resistant superbugs with phage therapy
Team Lead:	Associate Professor Anthony Kicic
Funding:	$400k

These projects highlight just some of the important respiratory research work being undertaken by the Centre’s researchers.

Together, the team continues to work towards ensuring that all children have healthy lungs for life.