The Kids Research Institute Australia (until 2024 known as Telethon Kids Institute) is an Australian medical research institute focused on the prevention of paediatric disease and the development of improved treatments to improve the health and wellbeing of children. The Kids has developed a particular focus on Aboriginal health and has more than 500 staff, post-graduate students and visiting scholars. The Kids is located in the suburb of Nedlands, in the Perth Children's Hospital building. The Kids Research Institute Australia is an independent not-for-profit, non-government organisation with close affiliations with the University of Western Australia and the Perth Children's Hospital.

Established in 1990 by Professor Fiona Stanley ,

Since its establishment in 1990, researchers at the Institute have published more than 2600 scientific papers and advocated on behalf of children and families.

Some highlights include:

  • Discovering that folate can prevent spina bifida;
  • Hib meningitis vaccination;
  • Improving outcomes for Aboriginal babies and children;
  • Researching IVF outcomes;
  • Leading the world in the understanding, treatment and prevention of asthma;
  • Developing programs to reduce youth suicide;
  • Determining causes for cerebral palsy;
  • Improving the life chances for children with cystic fibrosis;
  • Increasing survival rates for children with leukaemia.

The institute is a research hub for prominent scientists such as Patrick Holt, as well as the home of one of the largest longitudinal cohort studies, the Raine Study, which has been following the lives of thousands of children for more than 20 years.

Location

The Kids Research Institute Australia is co-located with the Perth Children's Hospital within the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre site in , Western Australia, with which it collaborates closely. The new building is adjacent to the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. The institute moved in 2018 after the closure of the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, and moved to the current site to continue to enhance collaboration with researchers and other clinicians located at the new site.

Ongoing collaborations exist with the University of Western Australia (UWA) Department of Paediatrics, Curtin University and the Channel Seven Perth Telethon, a major funding partner. An editorial in The West Australian called it an "ugly disruption" and said that "those who oppose vaccination programs, especially through the use of the tactics displayed on Monday, should examine their consciences".

See also

  • Health in Australia

References

  • Official web site