Centre for Innovation in Infectious Disease and Immunology Research

17/07/2025

Barwon Health is using a new outreach program to try to identify people living with undiagnosed hepatitis C. Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/40QHxv0

04/06/2025

🧬🔬 Major breakthrough shows improvement to patient care for severe golden staph infections.

Golden staph can cause life-threatening infections such as sepsis and pneumonia, and the bacteria are known for their ability to adapt quickly, becoming resistant to even the most potent antibiotics.

Our researchers in collaboration with seven major Victorian hospitals, are the first to show that using real-time genome sequencing to track bacterial changes during golden staph infection can give clinicians immediate insights to personalise treatment, prevent further antibiotic resistance and improve patient outcomes.

Find out more 🔗 https://bit.ly/3ZgSEN8

Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences at UniMelb
The Royal Melbourne Hospital

07/05/2025

On April 29, CIIDIR (alongside Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology - ASI, Deakin University, Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation and Barwon Health) hosted a 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 at the Health Education and Research Building (HERB) in . The event featured a poster session with opportunities for networking and discussion, an interactive quiz to identify viruses and bacteria, and a public lecture by two immunology researchers, Denise Airey from Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory and A/Prof. Daniel O'Brien the Director of Infectious Diseases Unit at Barwon Health.

The aim of DOI is to connect what scientists are learning about the immune system with the general public, helping to improve health, well-being, and awareness of science, which is exactly what this event achieved.

Read more about at CIIDIR: https://ciidir.com.au/news/2025/05/ciidir-celebrates-day-of-immunology-2025/

06/05/2025

27/04/2025

For , April 25, we asked some of our malaria researchers, "𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀?".

It's important to encourage all researchers to renew our commitment to ending malaria. We already have the knowledge, effective tools, and targeted approaches for prevention, testing, and treatment that can end this disease. It's essential to reinvest in what works, rethink our strategies to tackle ongoing challenges, and strengthen our collaboration with countries and communities to drive faster progress.

Ending isn’t just about improving health; it’s a crucial step toward creating a equitable, safer, and more prosperous world for all.

𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗨𝘀: 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁, 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲

Deakin University
Barwon Health

23/04/2025

Tomorrow is World Malaria Day, April 25.

CIIDIR (Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation and a partnership between Deakin University and Barwon Health) celebrates a publication by Dr Myo Naung.

Dr Myo Naung developed a new computer-based method to study malaria genomes. This approach will help researchers understand the diversity of malaria surface antigens being tested as vaccine candidates, which is crucial for design of more effective malaria vaccines in the future.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲: https://ciidir.com.au/news/2025/04/exploring-new-targets-for-the-next-generation-of-malaria-vaccines/

23/04/2025

🎉Join us for Day of Immunology 2025! 🎉
𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟵, 𝟭-𝟯𝗽𝗺

On behalf of Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology - ASI, CIIDIR (Deakin University and Barwon Health) is proud to bring you an opportunity to meet our researchers and discuss all things to celebrate Day of Immunology 2025.

A/Prof. Daniel O'Brien will present on paradoxical reaction in Buruli ulcer treatment.

Register here: https://www.immunology.org.au/events/-ASI-Public-Event-VIC-DoI-Discovery-Tour-at-CIIDIR-Deakin-University-Barwon-Health-2025/

23/04/2025

Today CIIDIR (a partnership between Deakin University and Barwon Health) continues to highlight our malaria researchers in light of World Malaria Day on April 25.

Dr Jasmin Akter is an Assistant Scientist at icddr,b and a Research Fellow at CIIDIR, who is leading a study titled “Establishing Malaria Genomic Surveillance for Early Warning of Antimalarial Drug Resistance in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh.”

The project aims to combat the emerging threat of resistance to Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs), which are the frontline treatment for uncomplicated malaria in Bangladesh.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲: https://ciidir.com.au/news/2025/04/the-key-role-of-malaria-genomic-surveillance-in-the-elimination-of-malaria-in-bangladesh-by-2030/

22/04/2025

In recognition of World Malaria Day on April 25, CIIDIR (a partnership between Deakin University and Barwon Health) would like to highlight our malaria researchers.

This study, led by Dr Charles Narh, focuses on the importance of developing affordable diagnostic tools to detect drug-resistant malaria parasites in Africa, where the disease burden is highest. These tools are vital for supporting malaria control programs by enabling early detection, proper treatment, and tracking of resistance patterns.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲: https://ciidir.com.au/news/2025/04/developing-new-diagnostic-tools-for-tracking-drug-resistance-in-malaria-parasites/

16/04/2025

🎉Join us for Day of Immunology 2025! 🎉
𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟵, 𝟭-𝟯𝗽𝗺

On behalf of Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology - ASI, CIIDIR (Deakin University and Barwon Health) is proud to bring you an opportunity to meet our researchers and discuss all things to celebrate Day of Immunology 2025.

Join us to hear Denise Airey discuss vaccine development!

Register here (or scan the QR code): https://www.immunology.org.au/events/-ASI-Public-Event-VIC-DoI-Discovery-Tour-at-CIIDIR-Deakin-University-Barwon-Health-2025/

08/04/2025

🎉Upcoming Event!🎉
𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟵, 𝟭-𝟯𝗽𝗺

On behalf of Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology - ASI, CIIDIR (Deakin University and Barwon Health) is proud to bring you an opportunity to meet our researchers and discuss all things to celebrate Day of Immunology 2025.

Register here (or scan the QR code): https://shorturl.at/YinQ3

01/04/2025