Vaccine Trials Group

The mission of the Vaccine Trials Group is to improve the health of the community through immunisation and the prevention of infectious diseases.

The Vaccine Trials Group (VTG) team of doctors, nurses, researchers, scientists, students and phlebotomists is testing and evaluating the safety and effectiveness of new vaccines for a range of diseases, as well as monitoring vaccines.

The VTG was established in 2000 to provide a coordinated approach to the development, delivery, assessment and promotion of vaccines, infectious disease and allergy treatments in the community. The team plays a vital role in the development and evaluation of vaccines recommended for children and adults throughout Australia.

The VTG leads national studies focusing on a range of diseases including influenza,
pneumococcal, meningococcal, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and whooping cough.

Team leader

Peter Richmond

MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP

Co-lead, Vaccine Trials Group

Team members (16)

Jennifer Kent

Clinical Research Manager

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Christian Tjiam

BSc BMedSc(hons) PhD

Senior Research Fellow

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Zoe Ellis

Clinical Laboratory Coordinator

Camille Gibson

Research Nurse

Jan Jones

Laboratory Research Assistant

Karen Jones

Executive Assistant and Clinical Trials Administrator

Sonia McAlister

Postdoctorial Researcher

Kieran Veale

Research Nurse

Ushma Wadia

Clinical Research Fellow

Jonah Macliver

Laboratory Research Assistant

Shania Tansil

Laboratory Research Assistant

Madeline Ong

Clinical Research Fellow

Julia Kets

Research Nurse

Louise Ghosh

Research Nurse

Matthew Harms

Laboratory Research Assistant

Edison Foo

Laboratory Research Assistant; PhD candidate

Vaccine Trials Group projects

Featured projects

ATOMIC Ears: A Phase IIB randomised controlled trial to assess safety, tolerability and acceptability of a 5-day Dornase alfa treatment as an adjunct therapy to ventilation tube insertion for otitis media in children

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August 2020

Paediatric Active Enhanced Diseases Surveillance (PAEDS)

PAEDS monitors for key vaccine preventable conditions and severe side effects from vaccine in 5 paediatric hospitals in Australia.

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October 2016

Other projects

A Phase 3, randomized, double-blind trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine given as a series of 2 infant doses and 1 toddler dose in healthy infants (NeXXstep) AusVaxSafety Protective Vaccine Responses in Infants after Maternal Pertussis Vaccination (PRIME) Study OPTIMUM: OPTimising IMmunisation Using Mixed schedules

Past projects

The Long-term Impact of Serogroup B Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD) in Australian Adolescents and Young Adults: AMEND study A phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, active-comparator-controlled study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of V114 in healthy infants (PNEU-PED-EU-1) A Phase 3, Randomized, Observer-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Group-Sequential Study to Determine the Immunogenicity and Safety of a Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) F Nanoparticle Vaccine with Aluminium in Healthy Third-trimester Pregnant Women; and Safety A Phase II Randomized, Controlled, Observer-Blinded Study, Conducted to Describe the Immunogenicity, Safety, and Tolerability of a Neisseria Meningitidis Serogroup B Bivalent Recombinant Lipoprotein 2086 Vaccine When Administered to Healthy Toddlers Testing the meningococcal conjugate vaccine MenACWY-TT in toddlers Phase 2b Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of MEDI8897, a Monoclonal Antibody With an Extended Half-life Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus, in Healthy Preterm Infants TESTOV Pneumo A study to determine the safety and immunogenicity of 10-valent and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in Papua New Guinean children PneumoWA: A case-control study of the role of viral and bacterial pathogens in causing pneumonia among Western Australian children Study of an oral medication for infants hospitalized with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infection Efficacy, Immunogenicity, and Safety Study of Clostridium difficile Toxoid Vaccine in Subjects at Risk for C. difficile Infection

Vaccine Trials Group

News

Protecting children against food allergies

Reports and Findings

Empirical Antibiotic Activity and Outcomes in Pediatric Gram-negative Bloodstream Infections: A Rank-based Composite Outcome Analysis

Published research Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Vaccine Trials Group Subsite: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases

October 2026

Theplatform trialinCOVID-19 priming andBOOsting (PICOBOO): The reactogenicity of nine licensed COVID-19 vaccines delivered in immunocompetent adults

Published research Immunisation Influenza Infectious Diseases Infectious Disease Implementation Research Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Vaccine Trials Group Subsite: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease Group COVID-19

October 2026

An Expert Perspective on a New Recombinant Pertussis-Only Vaccine and Its Potential Clinical and Programmatic Advantages in Australia, New Zealand, and Beyond

Published research Immunisation Whooping Cough Vaccine Trials Group Subsite: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases

October 2026

Barriers and Facilitators to Timely Detection and Optimal Management of Chronic Wet Cough in Aboriginal Children Across Australia From the Perspectives of Carers of Aboriginal Children

Published research Aboriginal Health Autism Research Vaccine Trials Group Wet Cough Subsite: Walyan BREATH Child and adolescent health

October 2026