Offering new ways to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases

A decade ago, University of Melbourne’s Professor Laura Mackay discovered the “first responders” of our immune system, a unique population of T cells based in our skin, gut and other barrier tissues.

Now she’s working to super-charge their protective power to clear infections and fight cancer, and to calm them down to avoid skin autoimmune disease.

• Cancer survival rates, COVID response and rapid vaccine development show how research can rapidly transform healthcare outcomes
• But Australia is not currently translating the findings of research efficiently into benefits for patients because of fragmentation within the health system and between health, academia and industry.
• Report reveals how integrating routine clinical care with generation of evidence represents our best pathway to deliver better patient experiences, improve patient outcomes, and increase staff satisfaction.

• Professor Tania Sorrell (Sydney) on a new level of protection
• Professor Brendan Crabb (Melbourne) on keeping up with public health
• Professor Tony Cunningham (Sydney) on safety and effectiveness
• Professor Fran Baum (Adelaide) on vaccine equity for Australia and our region
• Professor Kirsten McCaffery (Sydney) on vaccine hesitancy
• Professor Caroline Homer (Melbourne) on vaccines and pregnancy
• Professor Ingrid Scheffer (Melbourne) on all we’ve achieved in just over 12 months

Expert health and medical science leaders welcome vaccine roll-out, but caution that the vaccines alone are not enough.

See here for comments from Tania Sorrell, Tony Cunningham, Fran Baum, and other health experts.

The COVID-19 vaccination roll-out is a major development for Australia. It will enable people to take action that will help to protect themselves, their families and the wider community from a disease that has killed millions of people and impacted everyone, says the country’s expert body in the health and medical sciences.

The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS) is an independent body comprising more than 400 senior researchers and health leaders. It has been active in monitoring and guiding the nation’s pandemic response.

• Full report
• Additional information about the AAHMS
• Media release below

Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences urges multi-pronged response for 2021

High levels of testing, efficient vaccine distribution and addressing pandemic mental health impacts are critical if Australia is to maintain control over COVID-19 in 2021, the country’s learned body for health and medical sciences has concluded.

The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS), an independent body comprising more than 400 senior researchers, has released a report spelling out the necessary next steps for pandemic response in the new year.