Infection and Immunity

Post infection disease is a term that has become more familiar to many more of us following the COVID-19 pandemic. How do we diagnose and treat post infection disease, like Long COVID? And how to we add this aspect to our future pandemic preparedness? Learn more about common symptoms, at-risk groups and more from Long COVID expert Professor Lena Sanci, Head of the Department of General Practice and Primary Care at the University of Melbourne. Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With COVID-19 being described as an endemic infection, we are now very much living with the virus. As we approach the Winter months in Australia, where are we at with case numbers? When is the correct time to get a your booster vaccination for COVID-19? And how effective are antiviral treatments? To give us an update on COVID-19, we're joined by Professor Ben Cowie, an infectious diseases physician and epidemiologist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Chief Health Officer in Victoria’s Department of Health. Show notes COVID-19 vaccine advice and recommendations for 2024 - Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website COVID-19 booster eligibility checker - Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday, 20 May marked International Clinical Trials Day, which recognises the anniversary of the first controlled clinical trial conducted back in 1747. So why are clinical trials important when it comes to advancing therapeutics and vaccines? Are clinical trials safe? What's involved if you participate in a trial? We learn more from infectious diseases physician and clinician scientist, Professor Michelle Giles, head of the Vaccine Research Group at the Doherty Institute. Show notes: Now recruiting volunteers: Are you interested in being part of an RSV vaccine study? Get in touch Want to join the Vaccine Research Group database to find out about clinical trial volunteer opportunities?  Email: virgo-studies@unimelb.edu.au Phone: +61 3 8344 9325 or +61 4 1832 2346 Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Influenza B viruses are often overlooked but can cause significant illness and mortality, especially in children. Little is known about how the immune system interacts with these viruses, however a recent breakthrough by researchers at the Doherty Institute may revolutionise how we are protected against influenza B and for longer periods. Tejas Menon, co-author of the recent discovery and PhD Candidate at the Doherty Institute, explains how the immune system consistently recognises fragments of influenza B viruses, which opens up potential new targets for vaccine development. Show notes: News story: New frontiers in influenza B research: Breakthrough unveils promising targets for vaccine development Peer review: Menon T, Illing P, Chaurasia P, et al. CD8+ T-cell responses towards conserved influenza B virus epitopes across anatomical sites and age. Nature Communications (2024). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47576-y   Check out our previous episode: Here’s what you need to know about flu season 2024 Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does your immune system remember viruses you've previously been infected with? Do your genetics play a role in your immune system? Can you boost immunity with certain foods or vitamins? Ahead of the International Day of Immunology (April 29) we chat with Nobel Laureate Professor Peter Doherty to answer these questions and more, unravelling the complexities and exploring the wonders of our body's line of defence against disease; our immune system. Show notes: An Insider's Plague Year written by Peter Doherty  The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1996 was awarded jointly to Peter C. Doherty and Rolf M. Zinkernagel "for their discoveries concerning the specificity of the cell mediated immune defence" Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re just a couple of weeks away from May, which marks the official start of the influenza season in Australia. So what can we expect from the upcoming flu season and when is the best time to get your annual flu vaccine?  Learn more about flu vaccination, virus variants and current influenza surveillance from Virologist and Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, Professor Kanta Subbarao. Show notes: Learn more about Influenza vaccination and the National Immunisation Program via the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website. Interested in the work of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza at the Doherty Institute? Visit the Centre website. Check out our episode on avian influenza: Avian influenza (H5N1): why are experts concerned about the virus reaching Antarctica? Find out about recent announcement of funding from the Novo Nordisk Foundation to develop a novel antiviral drug to counter influenza. Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Doherty Clinical Trials Ltd, Australia’s first purpose-built facility specifically commissioned to deliver volunteer infection studies, was officially opened by the Victorian Minister for Medical Research, The Honourable Ben Carroll MP. Doherty Clinical Trials has been established by the Doherty Institute to accelerate the development of novel medicines and vaccines through bespoke early phase clinical trials. So, what is a volunteer infection study? How is it different to other clinical trial facilities? Find out more from Doherty Clinical Trials Chief Medical Officer, Professor James McCarthy and Director of the Doherty Institute, Professor Sharon Lewin. Shownotes: Doherty Clinical Trials website Media release: Australia’s first purpose-built facility to deliver human challenge trials launches in Melbourne The Age: Virus volunteers to help Melbourne’s new human trials clinic prepare for the next pandemic Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From protecting local communities to safeguarding global health, vaccines have been transforming public health for over 200 years. According to the World Health Organization, between 3.5 and 5 million lives are saved every year thanks to vaccines, which help protect us from diseases such diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, influenza and measles. Professor Arup Chakraborty, a luminary from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology joins the podcast ahead of the Miegunyah Distinguished Fellowship Public Lecture 'Vaccination through the ages' on Monday, 25 March at the Doherty Institute. We take a dive into the fascinating world of vaccines; from their historical roots to the cutting-edge science shaping our future. Shownotes: Register to attend the Miegunyah Distinguished Fellowship Public LectureHybrid event - online tickets still available. Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.au  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite being vaccine-preventable, outbreaks of measles are currently occurring in every region of the world, with many countries reporting their first case in years. In Australia, the disease was considered eliminated in 2014, but a series of imported case alerts begs the question – do we need to be concerned? To shed some light on the situation where we're seeing cases of measles on the rise globally, we speak with The Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Dr Katherine Gibney, an infectious diseases and public health physician, and medical epidemiologist at the Doherty Institute.  Shownotes A 30-fold rise of measles cases in 2023 in the WHO European Region warrants urgent action Victorian Department of Health measles alerts Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legionnaires’ disease made headlines in Australia at the beginning of the year due to an outbreak of the lung infection in Sydney’s city centre. Fundamental to effective Legionnaires’ disease outbreak control is the ability to rapidly identify the environmental sources of the causative bacteria, Legionella pneumophila. Could artificial intelligence be the answer? Dr. Andrew Buultjens is the lead author of a transformative study harnessing the power of machine learning to accurately pinpoint the origins of this bacteria. Shownotes Peer review article: Buultjens AH, Vandelannoote K, Mercoulia K, Ballard S, Sloggett C, Howden BP, Seemann T, Stinear TP. 0. High performance Legionella pneumophila source attribution using genomics-based machine learning classification. Appl Environ Microbiol 0:e01292-23.https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.01292-23 NSW Health Legionnaires' disease alert for Sydney CBD Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.au  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Numbers of Buruli ulcer cases have been increasing to between 200-340 cases per year since 2017, with 363 cases diagnosed in Victoria during 2023 alone.  Mornington Peninsula resident, Ella Crofts, who contracted a Buruli ulcer at age 13 back in 2017 joins the episode with a unique story to tell. Shownotes Listen to our previous episode on Buruli ulcer with Professor Tim Stinear. Buruli ulcer part one: 80 year-long transmission mystery solved Channel 9 news story featuring Ella Beating Buruli in Victoria project Short video on how you can protect yourself and stop the spread of Buruli ulcer, featuring Professor Tim Stinear Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The debilitating ‘flesh-eating’ infection that is Buruli ulcer has captivated Victorians in particular over the last 10 years or so, due to its increasing incidence in the state. Mosquitoes have been considered likely to be involved in transmission of the bacteria, Mycobacterium ulcerans, conclusive evidence about how humans get infected has been elusive, until now. University of Melbourne Professor Tim Stinear, molecular microbiologist and Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Mycobacterium ulcerans at the Doherty Institute, explains the latest groundbreaking findings into the transmission of the neglected tropical skin disease. Shownotes: News article announcing findings: 80-year mystery solved: Mosquitoes spread flesh-eating Buruli ulcer Peer-review article: Mee P, Buultjens A, et al. Mosquitoes provide a transmission route between possums and humans for Buruli ulcer in southeastern Australia. Nature Microbiology (2024). DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-023-01553-1  Article by research team: Mosquitoes can spread the flesh-eating Buruli ulcer. Here’s how you can protect yourself WHO Collaborating Centre for Mycobacterium ulcerans website Short video on how you can protect yourself and stop the spread of Buruli ulcer, featuring Professor Tim Stinear Beating Buruli in Victoria project Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While much of our attention has been on COVID-19 over the last few years, another pandemic has reeked havoc on more than 200 species of wild birds. The spread of H5N1 or bird flu as its more commonly known, to migrating birds has seen substantial outbreaks occur in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and South America. As this podcast goes to air, there’s been at least one suspected case in Antarctica. Expert in the wild bird viruses, Dr Michelle Wille, explains why this could be catastrophic. Show notes: To report sick or dead birds to the Emergency animal disease watch hotline is 1800 675 888. Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? You will go in the draw to win a signed copy of Life As We Knew It. Entries close Friday, 26 January.Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're joined by multi-award winning journalists, Aisha Dow and Melissa Cunningham, to chat about their new book Life As We Knew It. The book tells the gripping inside account of Australia’s extraordinary pandemic story. It has been described by our very own Peter Doherty as a “Terrific account of Australia’s outstanding political and public health response to COVID-19.” He says: “We all lived through it, and it’s our story”. Aisha Dow is health editor at The Age and Melissa Cunningham is a reporter for The Sunday Age.   Shownotes To purchase a copy of the book, visit the publisher’s website scribepublications.com.au Book giveaway: We have one book to give away kindly donated by Aisha. All you have to do is suggest a topic for the podcast by emailing doherty-media@unimelb.edu.au Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a major coup for the Doherty Institute and the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, our two COVID-19 vaccines went head to head in a Phase 1 clinical trial in 2022. The interim results have just been published in the Lancet’s eBioMedicine journal and found that both have strong potential to be an improved approach for boosting immunity to SARS-CoV-2 variants. In this episode we unpack the interim results from the trial with Professor Terry Nolan. Terry is a paediatrician and clinical epidemiologist. He is also the Head of the Vaccine and Immunisation Research Group at the Doherty Institute and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, which led this Phase 1 clinical trial. Shownotes: Publication in The Lancet’s eBioMedicineNolan, Terry M. et al. Interim results from a phase I randomized, placebo-controlled trial of novel SARS-CoV-2 beta variant receptor-binding domain recombinant protein and mRNA vaccines as a 4th dose booster. eBioMedicine (2023). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104878 Recent article published by the Doherty Institute about the study Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our immune system is made up of many types of cells. Many people will have heard of T cells that fight infection, but did you know there are many different subsets of T cells? In this episode we're talking all things tissue-resident memory T cells with the author of a new study that has found new ways to remove immune cells that cause skin autoimmune diseases, like psoriasis and vitiligo, without affecting protective cells that fight infection and cancer. Dr Simone Park is an immunologist who holds an Honorary position at the Doherty Institute after completing her PhD with Professors Thomas Ghebhardt and Laura Mackay, and is currently a Cancer Research Institute Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Her work aims to understand how the immune system responds to infection and cancer.  Show notes: Publication in SciencePark S, Christo S, et al. Divergent molecular networks program functionally distinct CD8+ skin resident memory T cells. Science (2023). DOI: 10.1126/science.adi8885 Recent article published by the Doherty Institute Hope for autoimmune skin disorder sufferers with new immunotherapy strategy Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Antimicrobial resistance has consistently been named by the World Health Organization as one of the top 10 global health threats, with current estimates of over 700,000 deaths per year due to antimicrobial resistance, expecting to reach 10 million by 2050. Antimicrobials refer to a category of medicines used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals and plants including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitics. So what exactly is antimicrobial resistance? What is causing it to become increasingly worse? And what can be done to prevent it? To answer these questions we're joined by Medical Microbiologist, Dr Rod James. Show notes: AURA 2023: Fifth Australian report on antimicrobial use and resistance in human health released this month by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey (NAPS) celebrated 10 years this week WHO Collaborating Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance located at the Doherty Institute works in the Western Pacific region to build capacity in surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship activities. Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As 2023 draws to a close, almost four years on since the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed, we continue to see cases and have adjusted to living with COVID-19. So, is the COVID-19 pandemic officially over? In this episode, Infectious diseases expert and Director of the Doherty Institute, Professor Sharon Lewin answers this question and fills us in on what the experts are discussing behind the scenes to prepare us for the next pandemic. Show notes: Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics Foundation Grants are open globally for applications.  Get in touch Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore in a future episode? Contact us via email doherty-media@unimelb.edu.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Laureate Professor Francoise Barre-Sinoussi shares her insight and experience of the HIV pandemic, reflects on the strengths and weaknesses of the response and the lessons that can be applied to COVID and pandemics of the future.Françoise was the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2008 for the discovery of HIV. She is Emeritus Professor at the Institut Pasteur and Emeritus Director of Research at the Inserm. She heads the Regulation of Retroviral Infection Unit at the Institut Pasteur in Paris.Shownotes:Watch the symposium where Laureate Professor Barre-Sinoussi recently presented her keynote address.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How severe is Omicron? How is easily is it transmitted? How do our vaccines fair against this new variant?In this bonus episode of Doherty Institute Director Professor Sharon Lewin explains what the evidence is telling us about the Omicron variant.Infection and Immunity - Evidence ExplainedPlease note this episode was recorded on Tuesday, 18 January 2022 before the Federal Government announced the Therapeutic Goods Administration had approved the Novavax vaccine along with two COVID-19 oral drugs molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir + ritonavir, for use in Australia. The episode was also recorded before a Code Brown alert was activated across multiple hospitals in the stateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.