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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
Peter Richmond

MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP

Head, Vaccine Trials Group

Team members (17)

Clinical Research Manager

Christian Tjiam
Christian Tjiam

BSc BMedSc(hons) PhD

Honorary Research Associate

Zoe Ellis

Zoe Ellis

Clinical Laboratory Coordinator

Camille Gibson

Camille Gibson

Research Nurse

Heidi Hutton

Heidi Hutton

Research Assistant

Jan Jones

Jan Jones

Laboratory Research Assistant

Karen Jones

Karen Jones

Executive Assistant

Sonia McAlister

Sonia McAlister

Research Assistant

Kieran Veale

Kieran Veale

Research Nurse

Ushma Wadia

Ushma Wadia

Clinical Research Fellow

Miriam West

Miriam West

Research Nurse

Kerrie Lisgaris

Kerrie Lisgaris

Research Nurse

Jonah Macliver

Jonah Macliver

Laboratory Research Assistant

Shania Tansil

Shania Tansil

Laboratory Research Assistant

Chantalia Tedja

Chantalia Tedja

Laboratory Research Assistant

Christina Anthony

Christina Anthony

Research Nurse

Madeline Ong

Madeline Ong

Clinical Research Fellow

Vaccine Trials Group projects

Show more projects

Featured projects

BCG vaccination to Reduce the impact of COVID-19 in Australian healthcare workers following Coronavirus Exposure (BRACE) Trial

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

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

Protecting children against food allergies

Novel coenzyme Q6 genetic variant increases susceptibility to pneumococcal disease

Acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRI) remains a major worldwide cause of childhood mortality, compelling innovation in prevention and treatment. Children in Papua New Guinea (PNG) experience profound morbidity from ALRI caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. As a result of evolutionary divergence, the human PNG population exhibits profound genetic variation and diversity. To address unmet health needs of children in PNG, we tested whether genetic variants increased ALRI morbidity. 

Effect of a campaign with oral polio vaccine on general health: A cluster-randomised trial in rural Guinea-Bissau

Objectives: To investigate in a cluster-randomised trial whether a campaign with oral polio vaccine (C-OPV) reduced mortality and morbidity.

The Platform Trial In COVID-19 Priming and BOOsting (PICOBOO): The immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and safety of different COVID-19 vaccinations administered as a second booster

PICOBOO is a randomised, adaptive trial evaluating the immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and safety of COVID-19 booster strategies. We report data for second boosters among individuals 50-<70 years old primed with AZD1222 (50-<70y-AZD1222) until Day 84.

Plasma adenosine deaminase-1 and -2 activities are lower at birth in Papua New Guinea than in The Gambia but converge over the first weeks of life

Dynamic cellular and molecular adaptations in early life significantly impact health and disease. Upon birth, newborns are immediately challenged by their environment, placing urgent demands on the infant immune system. 

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