Overseen by a team of experts led by Dr. Dominic Mallon, a Clinical Immunologist at PathWest and Fiona Stanley Hospital, the WACIC Biobank was established with an understanding that immunity — the human body’s in-built defense mechanism against infection — would be a crucial factor in any strategy aimed at curbing the pandemic.
A recent priority for WACIC is providing data that will allow scientists to better understand how the vaccines work in protecting against emerging variants of COVID-19 like the Omicron strain, which may pose more significant risks for children and adolescents.
With the support of the Foundation, a team led by Dr. Michael O’Sullivan from PathWest and Perth Children’s Hospital is working on expanding the biobank to include samples from children and adolescents. This is a collaborative effort between PathWest, the Child and Adolescent Health Service, Telethon Kids Institute, and other health and community organizations.
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