Murdoch Childrens Research Institute Annual Report 2015

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At Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, we believe that every child deserves a healthy start to life. We know that children experience disease differently to adults, so the treatment and care provided needs to be tailored to their needs and development. That’s why our team of over 1900 researchers, scientists and staff is passionate about making discoveries to improve child health.

Our story began in 1986 when paediatrician Professor David Danks established the original Murdoch Institute, alongside our late Founding Patron Dame Elisabeth Murdoch and other committed supporters.

Today, many of our researchers are also clinicians which means they can use research to solve problems they see in their daily work with children and families. Likewise when our researchers in the lab make a discovery, it can be quickly communicated and transformed into practical treatments for children in hospital and in the community.

This unique position allows us to translate discoveries in laboratory, clinical and public health research into real benefits to help children live healthier, happier lives.

CONTENTS 02

RESEARCH THEMES &

31

Meet the student: Rachel Chiaroni-Clarke

the melbourne children’s campus 03

Year at a glance

32

Time out key to healthy mums

05

message from the chairman

34

Meet the Researcher:

06

message from the director

08

board of directors

09

executive Committee

10

Peanut allergy trial – a patient’s perspective

12

VCGS launches Non-Invasive Prenatal Test

14

Management of concussion a cause for concern

15

HeadCheck giving peace of mind to parents

16

Meet the researcher: Dr Catherine Satzke

17

General anaesthesia does not affect infant brain development

18

Mini-kidneys successfully grown from stem cells

20

Meet the researcher: Dr Alicia Oshlack

22

Meet the student: Dr Peter Azzopardi

23

Melbourne children’s Trials Centre open for business

24

MCRI farewells Professor Sheena Reilly

25

Twenty-five years since the discovery of

28 30

The first fine-scale genetic map of the British Isles

36

Professor David Thorburn: celebrating 25 years at the Institute

37

Autism rates on the up

38

Obesity a global concern

40

Early bedtime and quality sleep are key to healthy kids and happy parents

42

Taking genomics across Australia

45

Genomics – a parent’s perspective

46

The adolescent origins of maternal perinatal depression

48

Meet the researcher: Professor George Werther

50

Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Mother’s Day campaign

52

Step-a-thon for Kids 2015

54

Riding for Olivia

56

Biennale

58

Thermomix commit $1 million to child health

59

MCRI’s Bequest program

60

Financials at a glance

in Fijian community

62

comprehensive Income

New stem cell gene correction process

63

financial position

64

cash flows

66

Donors

the human sex determining gene 26

35

Oral therapy could provide treatment for peanut allergies

11

A/Professor Peter Vuillermin

Mass drug trial eliminates scabies

puts time on researchers’ side Having siblings reduces likelihood of juvenile arthritis

Research themes

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e work across five key research Themes, which bring together large teams of researchers working on related areas to stimulate scientific collaboration and find answers to child health problems. Each Theme incorporates groups with varied skills in the clinical, laboratory and public health fields.

Clinical Sciences

Working closely with doctors and nurses, the Clinical Sciences Theme is improving current diagnosis and treatment practices for sick children.

Researchers are involved in the care of babies, children and adolescents with acute and chronic illness, with the ultimate aim of saving lives and improving the long-term outcomes of our most vulnerable.

Genetics

The Genetics Theme studies DNA to discover genes and environmental factors that impact child health.

Scientists are aiming to understand the genetic basis of diseases such as ataxia, thalassaemia, mitochondrial and chromosome disorders. Murdoch Childrens was originally established with a focus on genetics research and has a long history of excellence in this area.

Infection and Immunity

Researchers in the Infection and Immunity Theme are passionate about protecting children against preventable diseases both locally and internationally.

Their work addresses important health problems in children such as allergies, common infections and immune conditions. A major focus of this Theme is the development of vaccines, as well as vaccine testing, safety and quality assurance.

Cell Biology

The Cell Biology Theme seeks to understand how diseases impact cells, and how disease processes alter healthy cells. The Cell Biology Theme investigates how cells work in order to help children with conditions such as developmental disorders, cancer and congenital diseases.

The Melbourne Children’s

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urdoch Childrens Research Institute is co-located with campus partners The Royal Children’s Hospital, the University of Melbourne and the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation. Together the campus partners are known as the Melbourne Children’s Campus.

The Melbourne Children’s campus is a collaboration between scientists, health professionals and academics, allowing research findings to be quickly put into practice.

Our research teams and various studies bring together staff from all three organisations to create better health outcomes for children. Working on problems in an integrated way alongside our campus partners encourages faster and more effective interventions and therapies for children.

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Population Health

This diverse team is dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of communities and populations.

They aim to improve understanding of the complex interplay of social, environmental, and biological factors that influence child and adolescent health. In many programs researchers collaborate on an international scale and partner with government and nongovernment agencies across health, welfare and education.

Year at a glance

total competitive funding awarded

staff members 1875 at MCRI | 203 at VCGS

including

media

mentions

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 03

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Mr Leigh Clifford AO Message from the Chairman

2

015 was undoubtedly one of the most successful years yet for the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute.

Results in grant funding, research publication, awards and income growth helped to cement the Institute’s reputation as one of the leading medical research institutes in Australia. Most importantly, our research is making a significant impact towards better understanding, treatment and prevention of childhood illness.

While funding from the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has become increasingly competitive, the Institute continues to perform very well.

We received 20 NHMRC Project Grants, totalling over $22 million. This equated to a 23 per cent success rate, which was well above the national success rate of 13.8 per cent. These results reflect the strength of leadership provided by Director Professor Kathryn North AM and her ability to inspire our research teams to be innovative and bold in the pursuit of excellent research.

Kathryn has also advanced the standing of Murdoch Childrens in the fastpaced world of genomic medicine.

In November, the NHMRC declared its commitment for the integration of genomic medicine into healthcare across Australia, announcing a $25 million grant to form the Australian Genomics Health Alliance (AGHA), which will be led by Kathryn. The announcement strengthens the Institute’s role in the Melbourne Genomics Health Alliance and Global Alliance for Genomics and Health, of which she is Vice-Chair.

I would like to thank our Board members for their generous service and continued commitment in 2015. The Institute is very fortunate to benefit from the involvement of highly committed and knowledgeable individuals through the Board and its various subcommittees.

The past year saw some changes to the Board as we farewelled James Craig and welcomed Simon Rothery in December.

We thank our new, former and current

Board and Committee members for their important contribution, which is pivotal to the continued growth and development of the Institute.

In my final year as Chairman of Murdoch Childrens, I wish to thank everyone who has contributed to the continued development of our research work. It has been an absolute pleasure to be involved with the Institute since 2007 and to act as Chairman since 2009. I have every confidence that our incoming Chair Suzi Carp will lead the Institute in continued growth in 2016 and help this great organisation expand in new directions in the years ahead.

I trust you will enjoy reading about the achievements of the Institute throughout 2015. We really are best placed to improve outcomes for children, and to be highly competitive on an international stage.

Leigh Clifford AO Chairman

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 05

Professor Kathryn North AM Message from the Director

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elcome to our 2015 Annual Report. I trust you will be impressed by the discoveries and achievements made by our talented research teams throughout the year.

In 2015 we continued to cement our position as a national and global leader in many areas of paediatric research.

Our success in NHMRC funding put us amongst the best in Australia. We published quality research in some of the most highly-regarded academic journals and our researchers and students received accolades from across the globe.

We continue to foster local, national and international collaborative ties with other research institutes, universities, government and hospitals, to answer important questions in child health.

Led by the Executive team, we have worked to implement a clear and ambitious strategy for the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute that will guide us in the coming years. This strategy builds on our existing expertise in population and clinical studies, basic

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laboratory science and international vaccine trials. We are extending our work into new areas, including digital health, health economics and health services research and this will allow us not only to perform excellent research, but to advise on policy and make sustainable changes to the way we deliver care to the most vulnerable members of our society.

In 2015 we launched the Melbourne Children’s Trials Centre, a Campus partnership led by Professor Andrew Davidson, allowing us to trial promising new therapies for sick children. You can read more about the exciting work from the Centre on page 23. We look forward to sharing the outcomes of the Trials Centre in future years.

We are continuing to make great strides in the exciting world of genomic medicine, securing a $25 million dollar grant from the NHMRC to establish the Australian Genomics Health Alliance, a collaboration that is led by myself and MCRI’s Deputy Director, Professor Andrew Sinclair. We have established

our own Centre for Genomic Medicine to extend our genomics program to patients visiting the Melbourne Children’s Campus. We are now seeing many children benefitting from our work in genomics, including young Ashton who we meet on page 45.

There were countless other research highlights to come from 2015, many placing the Institute in the public spotlight. In January, Professor Mimi Tang and her team successfully trialled a treatment for peanut allergies that could potentially provide a long-term cure for allergy sufferers. Astoundingly, over 80 per cent of children who received the oral immunotherapy treatment were able to tolerate peanut at the end of the trial.

Professor Melissa Little had a very fruitful year, leading a team of researchers who perfected a method of turning human stem cells into kidney tissue.

The breakthrough could allow the use of mini-organs to screen drugs for the treatment of kidney disease, a significant and growing public health issue.

I would like to thank our Board of Directors for their significant contribution throughout 2015 and outgoing Chairman Leigh Clifford for his wonderful service. Leigh, who joined the MCRI Board in 2007 and has been Chair since 2009, has contributed greatly to the growth and expansion of the Institute over that time. We are delighted to welcome long term Board member Suzi Carp to the role of Chair and I very much look forward to working with her over coming years.

To our dedicated donors, thank you for your commitment and for sharing our passion for the health and wellbeing of children. We had a wonderful year in fundraising, with a net income of $13.51 million in 2015. Your continued support remains vital in providing seed-funds to get many of our projects off the ground and to create a sustainable future for the Institute. We are also very grateful to The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation for their very generous support, which continues to help our research projects

increase to the size and scale needed to produce major discoveries that benefit children worldwide.

As always, it is our outstanding research team that makes all of our discoveries possible and I thank them for their hard work and pursuit of excellence throughout 2015. I look forward to working alongside you in 2016, the 30th Anniversary of the Institute, enjoying all the successes it will no doubt bring.

Lastly, I share a special thank you to all of the children and families involved in our work, and those promoting the work of the Institute in the community. Each day we carry out our research with you in mind. That’s why our work is crucial, so we can find the best way to prevent disease and treat children to give them the healthiest possible start to life.

Professor Kathryn North AM Director

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Board of Directors

Leigh Clifford AO Chairman

Professor Kathryn North AM Director

Suzi Carp

Steven Casper

James Craig

Dr Charles Day

Bruce Grey

Simon Rothery

Patrick Houlihan

Professor Christine Kilpatrick

Hon Rob Knowles AO

Ian Miller

Professor Paul Monagle

Sarah Murdoch

Judy Paterson

Paul Rayner

Jason Yeap OAM

John Dakin Company Secretary

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Executive Committee

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he Executive team are responsible for the overall strategy and long-term research program of the Institute.

Professor Vicki Anderson Dr James Dromey

Professor Kathryn North AM

Dr Leanne Mills Professor John Bateman

Professor Andrew Sinclair

Professor Andy Giraud Professor Katie Allen

John Dakin

Absent: Professor David Thorburn

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 09

Oral therapy could provide treatment for peanut allergies

F

ood allergies in Australia have increased at an astonishing rate, including an estimated 9000 new cases of peanut allergy each year.

Currently there is no cure. Management relies on avoiding the food, which is difficult to achieve; consequently, children live with the constant fear of having potentially serious allergic reactions due to accidentally eating the food. Peanut allergy is usually life long and is the most common cause of fatality due to food induced anaphylaxis.

The research findings, which were released in February 2015, made international headlines and drew unprecedented publicity for the Institute’s work. Parents worldwide responded to the promising results, with many sharing stories of the difficulties in managing severe nut allergies in their children.

Further research is now underway to confirm whether patients can still tolerate peanuts in the longer term and to confirm these exciting findings.

Researchers from the Institute have successfully trialled a treatment for peanut allergy that could potentially provide a long-term cure for allergy sufferers.

Over 60 peanut allergic children in the study were either given a daily dose of a probiotic, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, together with peanut protein in increasing amounts, or a placebo over 18 months to assess whether children would become tolerant to peanut.

At the end of the trial, the child’s ability to tolerate peanut was assessed by a peanut challenge which was performed two to five weeks after the end of treatment.

Astoundingly, researchers found over 80 per cent of children who received the oral immunotherapy treatment were able to tolerate peanut at the end of the trial, compared to less than four per cent of the placebo group. This is 20 times higher than the natural rate of resolution for peanut allergy in the placebo group.

Lead researcher, Professor Mimi Tang said the study results are extremely exciting as they could potentially provide an effective treatment for food allergy.

“In our study, the combined delivery of probiotic and oral immunotherapy was a safe and effective treatment for peanut allergy. However, it is important to point out that this treatment must only be given under close medical supervision as we are giving peanut to children who are allergic to peanut, and children did have allergic reactions. Nevertheless, the likelihood of success was high – if nine children were given probiotic and peanut therapy, seven would benefit.”

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Professor Mimi Tang

“We are now looking at the long term benefits from the probiotic and peanut treatment to see if children have maintained longer term tolerance to peanut. We are also about to start a large multicentre trial to see if our combined probiotic peanut oral immunotherapy treatment can provide longer term tolerance (after stopping treatment for three months) and if it is more effective than peanut oral immunotherapy. This will be a very important study. “

Peanut Allergy trial – a patient’s perspective Phoebe, age 15

I

was diagnosed with a peanut allergy as a toddler but had a reaction that started the investigations as a baby. I had a lick of peanut butter on a cracker and my face swelled, my breathing changed and I was unwell.

It was a public holiday and we went to a 24 hour chemist and got some Phenergan. The pharmacist told us we needed to do a proper investigation. I got a referral to the allergy clinic at The Royal Children’s Hospital. That was the start of the journey.

It was never really that difficult having a peanut allergy because I grew up knowing how to deal with it. I just had to be very cautious and ask about ingredients. Managing my allergy day to day just meant reading the ingredients on everything. I also had to carry my Epipen and allergy plan with me.

My mum first heard about Professor Tang’s trial when we were at an appointment at the hospital.

We called in and got put onto the study. At first we had to go into the hospital fortnightly and then it eventually got spaced out as time went on.

Every time we went in, I got given doses of peanut and placebo over the day. I was really unfamiliar with the taste of peanut so my mum had to disguise it in things like bolognese, custard and chocolate mousse! It wasn’t too hard, because I never had any bad reactions, so it just felt like I was getting a day off school to eat food! I also got skin prick tests, which I kind of liked in a weird way.

Because it was a long-term project, I got to know the researchers and nurses really well. I used to make them dolls and drawings and I was always excited to go in and see them.

I was never really very scared; considering it was all monitored well. I was either at the hospital or at home being watched by my mum so I always had someone there to make sure I was doing well.

I really like peanuts now, and I eat them at least three times a week. It took a while to get used to them, but eventually I found it in a form that I liked. It’s really nice to not have to worry so much.

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VCGS launches non-invasive prenatal test

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he Victorian Clinical Genetics Services (VCGS) launched its non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT), percept® in April 2015. VCGS is a not-for-profit provider of a comprehensive range of clinical and laboratory genetics services, and is based at the Murdoch Childrens.

Prenatal screening provides information about the health of a baby during pregnancy. The percept test uses cell free fetal DNA found in maternal blood, to identify the most common chromosome conditions seen in newborns.

The simple blood test can be performed on a pregnant woman at any time from 10 weeks of pregnancy. The test measures DNA from the foetus which is circulating in the mother’s blood.

It primarily detects if the baby is affected by Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome and Patau syndrome or other conditions involving the sex chromosomes.

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Professor David Amor, Medical Director of VCGS said the main advantage of the percept test compared to traditional forms of prenatal diagnosis is that it’s performed by a blood sample collected from the arm of the pregnant woman and therefore carries no risk to the developing baby.

“If a woman receives a low risk result from the percept test, she can be very reassured that the chance the pregnancy is affected by Down syndrome or other major chromosomal abnormalities is extremely low and usually no further testing would be required. If a woman receives a high risk result, it’s recommended she have further testing to confirm a diagnosis.”

At the end of 2015, approximately 7800 patient samples had been tested. The percept lab recently received its 10,000th patient sample.

The team behind Percept

Unlike some other non-invasive prenatal tests which involve the blood sample being shipped overseas for analysis, percept is processed and analysed in VCGS’ laboratories at the Murdoch Childrens. This means test results can be generated very rapidly, usually in as little as three to four days.

VCGS NIPT Laboratory Head, Dr Mark Pertile said, “We have a fully integrated team of medical geneticists, genetic counsellors and clinical scientists that can interact directly with a patient’s doctor. This means we’re very well placed to do non-invasive prenatal testing using percept.”

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“It is well known that same-day return to play in a concussed athlete puts them at higher risk of another potentially more severe concussion as they are not functioning normally. Repeat concussions in turn can cause more severe and prolonged symptoms which can impact on their ability to return to school and play” – A/Professor Franz Babl

Management of concussion a cause for concern

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esearch findings have shown that many children who sustain concussion through organised sports are not assessed or managed properly, placing their health at risk.

The study showed that of children presenting to the emergency department after a concussion, 42 per cent were not managed according to recommended concussion guidelines, and 19 per cent were not immediately removed from play following the head injury. Alarmingly, 93 per cent of parents were unaware of concussion or returnto-play guidelines used by their sporting organisations.

Lead researcher, A/Professor Franz Babl, warned that the lack of awareness

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and compliance to head injury and return-to-play guidelines is placing children at risk of complications and further head injury.

“Awareness and education of coaches, teachers, parents and children needs to be improved,” said A/Professor Babl, who leads Emergency research at the Institute.

Results also showed that 29 per cent of children were allowed to return to the field the same day as their injury and 27 per cent were not assessed by a qualified person.

“It is well known that same-day return to play in a concussed athlete puts them at higher risk of another potentially more severe concussion as they are

not functioning normally. Repeat concussions in turn can cause more severe and prolonged symptoms which can impact on their ability to return to school and play,” A/Professor Babl said.

Sports-related concussion has received growing media and scientific attention in recent years. Children are particularly vulnerable, with data from the United States showing that 65 per cent of all sports-related head injuries presenting to emergency departments occur in youths aged five to 18. In Australia, 63 per cent of school-aged children participate in at least one organised sport outside of school.

HeadCheck giving peace of mind to parents

In

light of the worrying statistics around children sustaining injury during organised sports, the Institute has developed a free smartphone app to help parents and sporting coaches recognise the symptoms of concussion.

HeadCheck, which is now available to download, asks simple questions about how a child is feeling following a head injury. Based on their symptoms, the app suggests the appropriate course of action; whether it is sitting out of play, seeing a doctor or calling an ambulance.

Professor Vicki Anderson and her team built HeadCheck in partnership with technology company Curve Tomorrow.

According to Professor Anderson, HeadCheck is particularly useful for coaches and trainers, helping them to make decisions about when a child should come off the field and sit out the game, or if they need to seek medical attention immediately.

“The Institute is increasingly looking to develop digital technologies and apps to put healthcare directly into the hands of users.

We’ve had wonderful feedback from grassroots sporting clubs through to industry leaders about HeadCheck.”

The app has been endorsed by the Australian Football League’s sport scientific advisory group.

Professor Vicki Anderson

App Store reviews for HeadCheck “A must have for any parent. The language used in the app is very simple and doesn’t require any prior medical knowledge.”

“This app has been a great tool for our football club. A lot of the parents carry it and have already used it during training and games. And it’s free. Great work.”

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 15

Meet the researcher: Dr Catherine Satzke

2

015 marked a busy year for Dr Catherine Satzke.

As her exciting career in research continued to thrive, Catherine also welcomed her second child into the world. She capped off the year with a prestigious fellowship to support her research into pneumococci, the bacteria that causes pneumonia and other serious infections.

Dr Satzke, a Research Fellow in the Pneumococcal Research group at Murdoch Childrens, studies the relationship between carriage of pneumococci bacteria, disease and vaccination, as well as measuring the impact of vaccines globally.

Research published in 2015 by Dr Satzke and colleagues in the prestigious journal PLoS Medicine identified the best method for detecting the carriage of pneumococci. The discovery could help inform the development of pneumococcal vaccines.

Results from the study, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will inform the team’s future vaccine evaluation and impact studies, particularly in developing countries where pneumococcal disease burden remains high.

The finding is just one of many successes in Dr Satzke’s career, and her efforts were recognised with an inaugural veski Inspiring Women Fellowship, presented by The Honourable Linda Dessau AM, Governor of Victoria, at Government House in December.

The Inspiring Women Fellowships provide $150,000 over three years to progress and assist the careers of Victorian female researchers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

According to Dr Satzke, the awards help to raise the profile of women in research institutes and support those balancing their career and family.

“The veski fellowship provides significant support for my career. It can be very challenging to maintain a successful career while raising young children.

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The fellowship contributes towards resources and staff working in my absence, continuing our research and our relationships with international collaborators and funders.”

As well as leading microbiological research for an expanding program of work centred on vaccine impact studies in Fiji, Lao PDR and Mongolia, Dr Satzke contributes to vaccine trials in Vietnam, and carriage studies in Indonesia. These studies are led by clinicians A/Professor Fiona Russell and Professor Kim Mulholland, with whom Dr Satzke works closely. Dr Satzke’s said her passion is not driven by her various awards and grants, but through her love of scientific discovery.

“I love working in research because I can do something new every day – new for me, but also often something that hasn’t been done by anyone else in the world before, and sometimes something that was once considered impossible!”

“I get to work with amazing people who are smart, dedicated and genuine. I’ve also had the opportunity to travel to countries such as Mongolia, Papua New Guinea and The Gambia. It is a particular privilege as a laboratory scientist to work with a team of clinicians and researchers, including from lowincome settings, to make real clinical impact for the children who need it most.”

General anaesthesia does not affect infant brain development

A

naesthesia administered to babies has shown to have no adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children up until the age of two, an international study, published in world-leading medical journal, The Lancet, has shown.

Children were given a range of tasks to assess their attention, language skills and memory. Family and medical history were taken into account and children also underwent a neurological and physical examination.

There has been growing concern in the medical community about the safety of the medicines used for anaesthesia and sedation in young children.

This concern is based on animal research that demonstrated long-term, possibly permanent, injury to the developing brain caused by exposure to these medicines. This injury resulted in abnormalities in behaviour, learning and memory in animals. Until now the effects of exposure to anaesthetic drugs in young children was unknown.

“This is the first definitive evidence to show that just under an hour of anaesthesia exposure in early childhood does not cause long-term neurodevelopmental changes by age two,” lead researcher Professor Andrew Davidson said.

The international study, led by Murdoch Childrens, is the first of its kind in the world to investigate the issue. Over 700 infants were either given a general anaesthetic or awake regional anaesthesia during a hernia operation. Children were then followed up at two years of age and assessed.

The study was conducted from 2007 until 2013 and involved 28 hospitals worldwide. While the outcomes are positive at two years of age, researchers emphasised that children will need to be reassessed at age five to ensure that negative neurological effects are not seen later in life.

“This is the strongest evidence to date that just under an hour of general anaesthesia in infancy does not result in significant neurotoxicity.”

– Professor Andrew Davidson

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Mini-kidneys successfully grown from stem cells

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he Institute made headlines internationally in October after our scientists successfully grew ‘mini-kidneys’ using stem cells.

Professor Melissa Little, Dr Minoru Takasato and team perfected the method of turning stem cells into a mini-kidney that is similar to the kidney of a developing foetus. The mini organs are incredibly valuable for use in drug screening, disease modelling and cell therapy.

The team first grew a mini-kidney in a dish in 2013, they then progressed to grow an organ that forms all the different cell types normally present in the human kidney during 2015.

Professor Little, who joined the Institute in January 2015, says the mini-organs could be used to screen drugs either for the treatment of kidney disease or to find out if a new drug is likely to injure the kidney.

“The mini-kidney we have been able to grow is very complex and more like the real organ. This is important for drug testing as we hope they will respond to the drugs as a normal organ might,” Professor Little said.

By adding different concentrations of growth factors at various times, Professor Little and her team were able to guide the formation of the mini organ in a process that mimicked normal development. Published on the front cover of top peer-reviewed journal Nature, the finding is a big step forward in regenerative medicine.

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Chronic kidney disease is a growing health problem, with one Australian dying from a kidneyrelated disease every 25 minutes, and nearly $600 million spent on dialysis each year.

“Creating a model kidney containing many different kidney cell types opens the door for cell therapy and even bioengineering of replacement kidneys.

One day this may mean new treatments for patients with kidney failure,” said Professor Little.

Professor Little, who heads the Kidney Research Laboratory at the Murdoch Childrens has studied kidney formation for 25 years. In 2015 she released her first book, Kidney Development, Disease, Repair and Regeneration, described as a “pioneering and gigantic step forward” by a world-leading scientist.

In August, Professor Little received the 2015 Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology (ANZSCDB) President’s Medal for her outstanding contributions to cell and developmental biology in Australia and New Zealand.

Doctor Minoru Takasato & Professor Melissa Little

“Creating a model kidney containing many different kidney cell types opens the door for cell therapy and even bioengineering of replacement kidneys.

One day this may mean new treatments for patients with kidney failure” – Professor Melissa Little

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 19

Meet the researcher: Dr Alicia Oshlack

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ioinformatician, astrophysicist, mentor, advocate, supervisor and mother. Dr Alicia Oshlack wears many hats in her professional and personal life.

Dr Oshlack’s passion for genetics and datacrunching was preceded by a love of physics and in her early career she published papers on the topic of estimating the mass of black holes.

The multi-talented Dr Oshlack heads up the Institute’s Bioinformatics department. Her team’s work is becoming highly sought-after by campus colleagues and more broadly in the scientific community.

“Using observational data from a telescope, we can estimate the mass of a black hole in the centre of a galaxy. I was able to estimate the masses of the black holes for a set of bright galaxies called quasars,” said Dr Oshlack.

According to Dr Oshlack, the discipline of bioinformatics is essential in understanding the mechanisms underlying genetics diseases and ultimately improving treatments.

In 2003 Dr Oshlack made the move from astrophysics to health, moving to the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute for her post-doctoral studies.

“In the last 10 years there has been a technological revolution that has enabled scientists to sequence DNA at unprecedented scales, opening up the possibility of understanding and diagnosing genetic diseases in a way that was unimaginable last century,” said Dr Oshlack.

“In order to make sense of the data generated by new genetic technologies, bioinformatics is essential for the analysis of the data. More and more research groups and hospitals want to make use of these genetic technologies to help patients, therefore the field of bioinformatics is also rapidly growing.”

In collaboration with scientists and doctors from The Royal Children’s Hospital, Dr Oshlack’s team is working on finding genetic mutations that cause diseases in children. When applying standard bioinformatics approaches, scientists can diagnose around 50 per cent of new complex genetic cases - much higher than conventional diagnostic rates of around 15 per cent. However according to Dr Oshlack, many children still remain undiagnosed.

“One of the reasons children are without a diagnosis is because current genetic analysis methods are only able to detect certain types of mutations in DNA. My group is now working on developing advanced analysis methods that can detect more complex types of mutations and therefore increase the diagnostic rate.”

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“When I started the position I had never done any study or work in biology, health or genetics. However, after about a year in the job I had a Eureka moment; I realised that I loved bioinformatics, genetics and biology and I had found the career for me.”

Dr Oshlack joined Murdoch Childrens in 2011. A keen advocate for the role of women in science and work-life balance, Dr Oshlack is also a muchloved mentor to young scientists at the Institute.

She received the Institute’s 2015 Supervisor and Manager award, as voted by her team.

“My team are my greatest assets in my career.

They are a group of amazingly talented people with a great range of skills and personalities.

I see my role as directing their talent towards the important problems, making sure they develop skills in areas where they may be weak or inexperienced and helping them define their future goals.”

What is Bioinformatics?

Dr Alicia Oshlack explains “DNA is the code that determines life. As such, it is a very complex molecule that contains lots of information. For example, the DNA code in humans can be represented as a string of three billion letters.

To put that in perspective, think of Tolstoy’s War and Peace – a novel that has around three million letters. Human DNA is like 1000 copies of War and Peace. If you were to stack 1000 copies of War and Peace on top of each other they would be about as high as an 18 story building.

a mutation responsible for a genetic disease we need to find a mistake or “typo” in the code.

Because the data sets are so big we can no longer look at DNA code manually.

Put simply, bioinformatics is the branch of genomics that uses computational and statistical methods to analyse and make sense of the data from DNA. We can now generate massive amounts of data looking at DNA sequences, and bioinformatics is essential to making any genomic discoveries.”

When we think about determining the functional consequences of DNA we often need to examine every letter in that code. In order to find

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 21

Meet the student: Dr Peter Azzopardi

D

r Peter Azzopardi is determined to change the dialogue around adolescent health. According to the Murdoch Childrens researcher, adolescents have long been touted as “risk-takers, difficult, poorly compliant, or non-attenders.”

“As a medical student in the 1990’s, adolescent health was generally regarded as ‘a challenge for society,’ said Dr Azzopardi.

However, a year of research at MCRI’s Centre for Adolescent Health during his medical training sparked an interest in the health needs of adolescents and the tremendous opportunities for public health that the teen years provide.

“Adolescence provides a key window where risk – and protective – factors can be modified, altering the health trajectory into adulthood.”

On completing medical school, Dr Azzopardi started his career working in the paediatric ward of a hospital in Timor-Leste. He went on to work in the Solomon Islands, as well as

22 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

working alongside Australian Aboriginal communities in urban and rural settings, where his focus remained on adolescents.

“Working in these settings taught me that basic health interventions such as oxygen, fluids, antibiotics, vaccination, and clinical guidelines can have a significant impact on acute childhood illness. I learnt, however, that promoting child and adolescent health is a much more complex task,” said Dr Azzopardi.

This led him to train in paediatrics and to a career in adolescent health research.

“I started looking for more information and found that health data for adolescents is poorly reported. Good data is needed to prioritise health interventions and track progress. For example, mental health and injury contribute significantly to the burden of disease experienced by young people; however, data and appropriate responses here are desperately lacking.”

Dr Azzopardi completed his PhD in 2015 under the supervision of Professors George Patton, Alex Brown, John Carlin, Susan Sawyer and Louisa Degenghardt.

This research described the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents in Australia. In synthesising national survey, hospital and mortality data, he was able to identify priority areas for health actions.

The work was co-supervised by the Wardliparingga Aboriginal Research Unit at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute.

The research and health communities have recognised that Dr Azzopardi has a long career ahead of him. His doctoral research was funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council scholarship, a Sidney Myer Health scholarship, as well as a Clifford Scholarship, supported by MCRI Board Chairman Leigh Clifford and wife Sue. He was also one of two recipients of MCRI’s 2015 Rising Star Awards, awarded to research students who have excelled in children’s health research.

Melbourne Children’s Trials Centre open for business

T

he Melbourne Children’s Trials Centre (MCTC) was officially opened in August at an event held at the Larwill Hotel.

Mr Bill Ferris AO, Co-Chairman of CHAMP Private Equity launched the Centre, which supports researchers in initiating and performing trials of new therapies, and comparing the effectiveness of current therapies.

The centre also supports trials assessing new uses of existing therapies. One such study is in children with Bell’s palsy, a condition that causes paralysis or weakness of the face muscles. Bell's palsy usually resolves by itself within a few months, but researchers are hoping to determine whether the drug Prednisolone improves recovery of children at one month.

The MCTC will also help coordinate the next phase of Professor Mimi Tang’s peanut oral immunotherapy (PPOIT) trial for children with peanut allergy.

The MCTC is a collaboration between MCRI and its campus partners, The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) and University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics.

Professor Davidson, MCTC’s Medical Director, said the Centre will place the Melbourne Children’s Campus at the forefront of medical trials across Australia by investing in developing innovative trial designs and utilising new technologies such as the new RCH Electronic Medical Record.

Clinical trials are essential to exploring the effectiveness of new therapies, and in determining how existing treatments can be most used effectively.

Since the establishment of the Centre, which is led by Professor Andrew Davidson, there has been a steady increase in the number of paediatric clinical trials performed and the number of children participating in trials at the Melbourne Children’s Campus.

Many of the Centre’s commercially-sponsored clinical trials involve children with cancer, or those with rare and undiagnosed diseases.

“We used to lag behind countries like the United States and Canada, now we’ve seen huge leaps forward in clinical trials in Australia. Clinical trials are of huge importance for the economy of Victoria and Australia, as well as for the health of our population.”

“We’re passionate about bringing new treatment options and generating knowledge that improves the health of all children,” he said.

The trials provide access to new treatments for illnesses such as hepatitis, juvenile arthritis, epilepsy, haemophilia, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease.

Melbourne Clinical Trials Centre – by the numbers Since 2014: New clinical trial applications rose from 50 in 2014 to 52 in 2015

2014

Commercially sponsored clinical trials rose from 18 in 2014 to 27 in 2015

2014

50 52

2015

2015

18 27

In addition to the 27 new commercially sponsored clinical trials in 2015, there were 36 already underway and active on campus

The number of children participating in clinical trials is estimated to be between 300 and 500. This number does not include large scale community based research projects and public health studies which involve thousands of children.

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 23

MCRI farewells Professor Sheena Reilly

In

June, the Institute farewelled Associate Director, Professor Sheena Reilly. Sheena, who commenced with Murdoch Childrens in 2001, led the enormously successful Hearing, Language and Literacy Research Group.

“Sheena exudes an incredible sense of positivity,” said Professor Angela Morgan, former co-leader of the Hearing, Language and Literacy Research Group. “She always had an open-door policy and really believed that her team could do anything.”

From 2011, Professor Reilly played a key role in shaping the strategic direction of the Institute as Associate Director of Clinical and Population Health research. She also led the National Health and Medical Research Council-funded Centre for Research Excellence in Child Language, based at MCRI, and was also a Professor of Speech Pathology at the University of Melbourne. In 2015 she was inducted as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.

“Sheena is very passionate about advocating for diversity in the workplace, including the role of women in science,” said MCRI Director, Professor Kathryn North. “She is also passionate about mentoring students and early career researchers and was instrumental in ensuring the Institute has the right support systems and processes in place to provide training and professional development to our people.”

Professor Reilly’s own research program focuses on childhood language and literacy problems.

Leading a series of cross-disciplinary studies, her work aims to identify the social, demographic and/or family factors that explain common speech and language problems. She was beloved around the Institute for her bubbly personality and support for her staff.

24 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

The Institute held a festive goodbye for Professor Reilly, with many staff donning their own versions of Sheena’s famous colourful glasses. Sheena is now the Director of the Menzies Health Institute in Queensland and maintains an appointment with MCRI as an Honorary Fellow.

Twenty-five years since the discovery of the human sex determining gene

O

ne of the most fundamental influences on our daily lives is our sex. Whether we are born as male or female has a lifelong impact on our sense of social place, behavioural patterns, personality, reproductive options, disease susceptibility and life expectancy.

This year marks 25 years since Murdoch Childrens Deputy Director, Professor Andrew Sinclair and team identified the long sought after Y-chromosome linked Sex determining Region Y gene, SRY. This gene triggers testis development in the embryo resulting in a male phenotype in humans and almost all mammals. Professor Sinclair’s paper in Nature (19 July, 1990) received worldwide press coverage and is now regarded as a milestone in genetics, a Thompson “citation classic”, achieving more than 2000 citations and remaining highly cited to this day.

The discovery of SRY has also been fundamental to understanding disorders of sex development (DSD). Sex can be much more complicated than it at first seems. According to the simple scenario, the presence or absence of a Y chromosome is what counts: with it, you are male, and without it, you are female. However, researchers have known that some people are in a ‘grey’ area; their sex chromosomes say one thing, but their sexual anatomy says another. Gene mutations affecting gonad development can result in a person with XY chromosomes developing typically female characteristics while XX individuals may develop along male lines.

Professor Andrew Sinclair - then and now

The discovery of SRY was pivotal for the understanding of the intricate genetic pathway that determines gonad development and sex determination. Its importance to the whole field of human molecular genetics cannot be overstated.

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 25

Mass drug trial eliminates scabies in Fijian community

S

cabies, a debilitating skin condition plaguing millions of people globally, has been virtually eliminated in a Fijian community following a drug trial led by A/Professor Andrew Steer.

A/Professor Steer and his team used ivermectin to reduce the prevalence of scabies in the community from 32 per cent to less than 2 percent, a reduction of 94 percent.

The results of this study provide new hope in the fight to control the condition which affects over 100 million people globally, particularly children in disadvantaged countries.

Scabies is caused by a microscopic mite and triggers extreme itchiness affecting sleep, work and study. The resulting broken skin can lead to serious bacterial infection and cause potentially deadly diseases including rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease and chronic renal failure.

A/Professor Andrew Steer

As part of the Skin Health Intervention Fiji Trial (SHIFT), the team investigated whether treating all residents of an isolated island community was more effective at controlling scabies and skin sores than individual treatment with permethrin cream to infected patients.

The researchers also investigated whether mass administration of ivermectin tablets or permethrin cream was more effective.

A/Professor Steer said that as one of the most neglected tropical diseases, scabies is an under-recognised cause of illness and economic burden in many developing countries.

“We need to find a safe, effective means of controlling scabies and skin sores in these countries. The terrible itching leads to infection of the skin by bacteria that can cause potentially deadly diseases of the kidneys, heart and bloodstream.”

In the Pacific Islands, including Fiji, scabies is one of the most serious health problems affecting communities, with one quarter of the population infected. While the current recommended treatment of permethrin cream effectively treats individual patients, there are often so many cases in the community that people frequently become reinfected.

The Fijian Director of Public Health, Dr Eric Rafai, said the trial had been an outstanding success.

“We hope ivermectin will alleviate the blight of scabies and skin sores in the future.”

The study was published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.

26 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

1

2

3

Standard care with treatment recommended for affected individuals and their families.

Administration of permethrin cream to all community members

Administration of ivermectin tablets to all community members

1 year

1 year

1 year

49%

62%

94% tion in sca

bi

bi

bi

uc

d

tion in sca

Re

uc

d

d

tion in sca

Re

Re

uc

es

Community

es

Community

es

Community

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 27

Doctor Sarah Howden

“The method developed in our study could potentially advance transplant medicine by making gene-corrected cells available to patients in a much more timely manner, and at a lower cost” – Dr Sara Howden

28 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

New stem cell gene correction process puts time on researchers’ side

R

esearchers from the Institute have devised a way to dramatically cut the time involved in reprogramming and genetically correcting stem cells, an important step to making future therapies possible.

Led by Dr Sara Howden, the study demonstrates how genetically repaired stem cells can be derived from patient skin cells in as little as two weeks, compared to conventional multi-step approaches that take more than three months.

Dr Howden, who worked alongside former colleagues based in the United States, said the key to the advance is to combine two essential steps in preparing cells for potential therapy.

The faster process also means the cell culture period is greatly reduced, potentially minimising the risks associated with culturing cells outside of the human body.

Induced pluripotent cells (iPS cells) hold great promise for medical research because they can essentially be derived from any individual and are capable of becoming any of the 220 types of cells in the human body. The ability to efficiently and precisely modify the DNA in these cells offers enormous potential for the development of personalised stem cell therapies that benefit people with many different types of genetic disorders.

“Firstly, adult cells must be reprogrammed to an embryonic-like cell. Secondly, the cells need to undergo a sophisticated gene editing process to correct the disease-causing mutation,” said Dr Howden, a Postdoctoral Fellow.

Dr Howden and colleagues successfully combined these two steps in skin cells derived from an adult patient with retinal degeneration, and an infant patient with severe combined immunodeficiency.

“The method developed in our study could potentially advance transplant medicine by making gene-corrected cells available to patients in a much more timely manner, and at a lower cost,” said Dr Howden. “It will have implications for researchers working in regenerative medicine, which is something we are incredibly proud of.”

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 29

Having siblings reduces likelihood of juvenile arthritis

A

study by Murdoch Childrens has found that having siblings is associated with a reduction in the occurrence of juvenile arthritis.

support for the role of the ‘hygiene hypothesis’, in combination with genetic factors, in the development of juvenile arthritis.

Juvenile arthritis is an immune disorder that affects around 6000 Australian children.

Researchers found the risk of juvenile arthritis in a child with no siblings was twice as high as a child with siblings.

“The genetic makeup of juvenile arthritis is becoming clearer, with 17 genes now associated with disease risk. However, until now evidence for environmental risk remained sparse,” Dr Ellis said.

Researchers compared 302 children with juvenile arthritis to over 1000 children without arthritis and found a protective association with sibling exposure, especially for exposure to three or more siblings. The study found a clear pattern of association emerged in which greater exposure to siblings by six years of age was linked with a reduction in juvenile arthritis risk. Exposure to younger siblings appeared particularly important.

The finding suggests that increased microbial exposure in childhood may protect against the development of juvenile arthritis. Lead researcher, Dr Justine Ellis said the findings provide further

Study author Dr Jane Munro said, “Our study showed exposure in the first six years of life to siblings may decrease the risk of juvenile arthritis.

This could be due to the fact that contact with siblings may provide protection by exposing children to infections and germs and building an immune system less susceptible to the development of juvenile arthritis.”

There is increasingly more evidence to suggest gut bacteria plays a part in the development of disease, with Institute and other research finding links with early microbial exposure and asthma, allergy and multiple sclerosis.

Doctors Justine Ellis & Jane Munro

30 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

Meet the student: Rachel Chiaroni-Clarke

W

hen most of us think of arthritis we think of a disease that affects the elderly. Sadly, around one in 1000 children are also affected by juvenile arthritis, an incredibly debilitating condition which affects nearly three times more girls than boys.

Rachel Chiaroni-Clarke is hoping to understand more about juvenile arthritis through her PhD studies at MCRI. “Through my PhD I am trying to understand the causes of juvenile arthritis, and to find out why nearly three times more girls get the disease than boys,” says the New Zealand-raised scientist.

“I am working to determine whether there are genes and pathways involved in disease pathogenesis that act specifically in one sex (girls) and not the other (boys). This will help us understand what drives the condition.”

Rachel’s PhD is supervised by not one, but three experienced scientists, including Dr Justine Ellis.

According to Rachel, the support of Dr Ellis has been crucial to her flourishing career.

“Justine is an exceptional supervisor. She allows me to take the lead on my research, but is always available for help, advice and even just a chat or a laugh when I need it. She is a great role model, particularly for me as a young female researcher.

I admire how she successfully balances her career with having a family.”

As winner of the Institute’s 2015 David Danks PhD Scholarship, Rachel is already impressing with her dedication to her work, and for her passion for communicating health sciences to the broader community. She has published three papers on juvenile arthritis as lead author, and co-authored two others. In 2015 Rachel presented at Campus Research and Education Week, and won MCRI’s Student Symposium competition for second year PhD students.

“MCRI is a very collegial and supportive place to study, with world-class research and facilities,” says Rachel. “There are plenty of seminars to attend which is great for keeping up to date with research both within and outside the Institute.

These can often inspire different approaches to your research or potential collaboration.”

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 31

Time out key to healthy mums

W

omen who have time for themselves once a week or more in the first six months after childbirth have better mental health.

The research from the Maternal Health Study, published in the December edition of Birth, found that only one in two new mothers reported having time for themselves each week when someone else looked after their baby. One in six women stated that they never had time for themselves.

Over 1500 first time mothers are taking part in the study. At six months postpartum, almost one in 10 women reported depressive symptoms indicative of major clinical depression.

Women who had time for themselves once a week or more were less likely to report depressive symptoms, compared to women who reported less frequent time for themselves.

Among women who had time for themselves once a week or more, less than six per cent reported depressive symptoms. The prevalence of depressive symptoms almost tripled to 15 per cent in those who never had time for themselves.

“Ensuring women get regular respite from the challenges of caring for a young baby may be a relatively simple and effective way of promoting maternal mental health in the year after childbirth,” said lead author Dr Hannah Woolhouse.

“However, this is not to say that it is straightforward for mothers to achieve. Getting regular and frequent time out requires the support and input of others. Partners, family and friends can play an important role in encouraging women to take time for themselves, giving them permission to take time out, and helping to look after the baby for a period of time.”

% of women with depressive symptoms

Depressive symptoms and frequency of time for self

20 15.2 15 13.8 10

9.5 5.8

5

0

Never

Hardly ever

Fortnightly

Frequency of time for self

32 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

Once a week or more

“Current research indicates that the majority of childcare and housework responsibilities still fall to women. The more equitably partners can share the practical and emotional responsibilities of having a baby, the more likely we are to have healthy, well-functioning parents, and in turn healthier children.”

–Professor Stephanie Brown,

Chief Investigator of the Maternal Health Study

The five most common things women did when they had time for themselves were:

Going shopping for the household

Having a long bath or shower

Going to the

Going out with partner

57%

Relaxing, putting their feet up and watching TV

hairdresser

36%

42%

47%

37%

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 33

Meet the researcher: A/Professor Peter Vuillermin

A

/Professor Peter Vuillermin and his colleagues have the massive task of leading the Barwon Infant Study (BIS), a large populationbased project involving more than 1000 families in the Geelong region of Victoria.

Through the BIS, researchers are hoping to generate new knowledge about the causes of immune-related illnesses during early life. This, according to A/Professor Vuillermin, could help prevent immune related diseases like allergy, asthma and cardiovascular disease which are becoming more prevalent in the modern environment.

“There is now good evidence that the first 1000 days of life may have a significant impact on long-term health,” said A/Professor Vuillermin.

“However, we are yet to identify many strategies targeting this early life window for preventing immune-related disease.”

The study has been a long time in the making.

A/Professor Vuillermin, Professor Anne-Louise Ponsonby and team concluded the three-year recruitment phase in 2013, and since that time have stored over 100,000 biological samples, and taken more than 10,000 measurements of the study’s young participants.

Importantly the study, a collaboration between Murdoch Childrens, Deakin University and Barwon Health, is generating new knowledge about how to give kids the best start to life.

“We’ve been saying ‘watch this space’ for a long time. It’s nice to finally have some important findings coming from the study,” said A/Professor Vuillermin.

34 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

One such finding showed that kids with hyperactive immune cells at birth were more likely to develop food allergies in their first year of life.

A/Professor Vuillermin said this finding emphasised the importance of looking to pregnancy and early life in understanding why immune and inflammatory disorders, such as allergies, develop in childhood.

He said that each and every BIS participant has been important.

“Geelong is a great place to run a study like BIS. It is a parochial place with a strong sense of community. BIS is very much a study of the people, by the people, for the people. Geelong has embraced that concept. Every question these families answer for us, and every sample donated, adds a piece to the puzzle.”

Outside of his role leading the internationallyrecognised study, A/Professor Vuillermin keeps busy with his young family, who are based in the Barwon region.

“We live at Point Lonsdale and sneak in a surf as often as we can. I have no hidden talents but surfing with my kids is awesome. Coffee in the morning with my wife is a close second. The simple stuff in life is good I think.”

The first fine-scale genetic map of the British Isles

A

landmark study into the genetic makeup of the British Isles has created the first fine-scale genetic map of any country in the world. The analysis, co-led by Dr Stephen Leslie, revealed significant insights into the history of movements of people into the United Kingdom (UK) over the last 10,000 years.

According to the 2011 Census, over 55 per cent of Australians nominate their heritage as English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish.

The ground-breaking research made headlines across the globe and was featured on the front cover of Nature, regarded as the most influential journal in science. Dr Leslie also gave a public lecture on the findings at the British Museum in London.

The international team of researchers used DNA samples collected from more than 2000 people from the UK and compared this information with DNA samples from over 6000 Europeans.

Michael Dunn from the Wellcome Trust, one of the world’s largest private funders of research added, “This study used modern genetic techniques to provide answers to the centuries’ old question where do we come from? Beyond the fascinating insights into our history, this information could prove very useful from a health perspective.

Building a picture of population genetics at this scale may in future help us to design better genetic studies to investigate disease.”

“Rich genetic information such as this tells us a great deal about our history and augments what we know already from archaeology, linguistics and historical records” – Dr Leslie

The team were able to identify clear traces of the population movements into the UK since the last major ice age. Their work confirmed, and in many cases shed further light on, known historical migration patterns. Their findings show that prior to the mass migrations of the 20th century there was a striking pattern of rich but subtle genetic variation across the UK, with distinct groups of genetically similar individuals showing remarkable geographical clustering.

“Rich genetic information such as this tells us a great deal about our history and augments what we know already from archaeology, linguistics and historical records,” said Dr Leslie.

“Much of what we’ve learned about our history comes from the successful people of society, as they leave the strongest marks on history and archaeology. By using genetics and sophisticated statistical methods, we have been able to tell the story of the masses.”

Doctor Stephen Leslie

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 35

Professor David Thorburn, now and earlier in his career

“I still get a thrill every time we make a new diagnosis, especially the tricky ones, let alone when we discover a new disease gene, make an interesting model or work out some novel mechanism,” he said.

“Meeting affected families through the Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation and international support groups is perhaps the best part of the job though, as it really drives home the impact we can have and the hope we provide.”

Professor David Thorburn: Celebrating 25 years at the Institute

25

years ago, a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Professor David Thorburn came to the Murdoch Childrens and decided to dedicate his career to finding a cause and treatment for Mitochondrial diseases.

Back then there were fewer than 100 people at the Institute. After a circuitous route from Biology undergrad to biochemical geneticist, Professor Thorburn joined the Murdoch Childrens just after Mitochondrial DNA mutations had been discovered and decided to become a ‘self-taught mitochondriac’.

He was excited about the potential of doing basic research that could impact directly on families, an excitement that hasn’t waned since.

36 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

Over the last quarter of a century, Professor Thorburn has seen the Murdoch Childrens grow into a spectacular organisation, contributing both professionally and personally on his journey to becoming Director of Genetics and Group Leader of the Mitochondrial Research group.

The ever-smiling Professor notes that all of his professional highlights have come about by collaborating with great people with different skills sets, and identifies being an early adopter of Next Generation sequencing technology as the most exciting time of his career.

His advice to the next generation of researchers?

“Only do it if you love it, the obvious answer isn’t always the right one, be enthusiastic, persevere, say yes and get involved but don’t lose your focus.

“You may think there’s a few apparent contradictions in there but ain’t that life?”

And one last note: “See both the trees and the forest, Grasshopper.”.

Autism rates on the up

A

study led by Professor Katrina Williams found that more children are being diagnosed with autism. However, whether autism is becoming more prevalent or being diagnosed earlier is still under question.

with 1.5 per cent in the older age group. In both groups, parents of children with ASD reported their children had poorer quality of life and more emotional and behavioural problems than their non-ASD peers.

As part of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, 10,000 children were recruited in two separate waves and assessed at two-yearly intervals. Half of the children were recruited into the study at birth and half were recruited into the study in preschool.

“The prevalence of ASD for the younger group was higher than in previous Australian studies,” said Professor Williams. “However, it is still not clear whether the difference in prevalence represents a shift to a younger age of diagnosis or a continued increase in diagnosis.”

When the children were six to seven years and 10 to 11 years old respectively, parents were asked if their child had been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and if so, the age and severity of diagnosis. Children’s quality of life, behavioural strengths and difficulties, vocabulary abilities and intellectual development were also measured.

The study showed the majority of children diagnosed with ASD were male; 84 per cent in the younger age group and 81 per cent in the older age group. There were no differences found in maternal or paternal age between the groups and socioeconomic status was similar.

The results showed that the prevalence of an ASD diagnosis before the age of seven was higher (2.5 per cent) in the younger age group compared

Professor Williams said further studies will clarify whether ASD has been diagnosed earlier, and to find out about the types and severity of problems experienced during later primary and secondary years for children with ASD.

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 37

Childhood obesity likely to continue to be a global concern

C

hildhood obesity is still likely to be a major global concern in 2065, according to a 2015 review from the Institute.

The review, which looked at obesity trends over the past 50 years, today and into the future, found that obesity prevalence rates are stabilising across many developing countries, including Australia. However, researchers say the severity of obesity may continue to worsen and lead to an up-swing in the rates of severely obese adolescents. The review also found that unless there is a sudden and unexpected decline in childhood obesity, large numbers of currently obese youth will grow up to be obese adults with major health risks.

The review, published in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, shows that whilst childhood obesity is not a new issue, it has doubled in prevalence since the 1980’s. Prevalence rates of overweight and obesity for five – 15 year old Australian children were steady from 1900 through to 1950 at around five per cent, steadily increasing from 1950 through to 1980 when they sat around 10 per cent. Since 1980 this number has increased to over 25 per cent.

Lead researcher, A/Professor Matt Sabin says the last 50 years has seen unprecedented improvements in the health of children, however this is not the case for childhood obesity.

“Childhood obesity can truly be called a ‘new morbidity’.It has become a global crisis and is one of the world’s most pressing public health issues.”

Despite an increase in obesity and an increase in research in the area, little progress has been made due to the complexity of the issue. Positively, there is growing evidence of the effectiveness of wholeof-school and community-based interventions which promote improvements in children’s eating and activity patterns.

38 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

Currently the Institute is undertaking a number of innovative obesity studies including one looking at ‘set-points’ for weight regulation and whether this differs in adults and children.

“Every adult has a weight that is normal for them. This is referred to as their ‘set-point’ for weight. Individuals have been shown to have a physiological protection of this set point, explaining why most obese adults who diet eventually regain weight,” A/Professor Sabin said.

“We have exciting clinical evidence that young children, unlike adults, do not exert the same physiological protection of body-weight, and that it’s possible to easily modify their future weight trajectory so that they don’t grow up to be obese adults. The research study will now test this; if true, then the findings will have major implications for the way in which we prevent and treat childhood obesity,” A/Professor Sabin said.

MCRI obesity researcher Professor Melissa Wake will also launch a new project which aims to test the ‘Nudge theory’. The Nudge theory is a concept in behavioural science which argues that positive reinforcement and indirect suggestions to try to achieve non-forced compliance can influence the motives, incentives and decision making of groups and individuals – in this case such ‘nudge’ interventions might include smaller crockery, visible fruit placement, and a traffic light system for food storage.

“Childhood obesity has become a global crisis and is one of the world’s most pressing public health issues.”

– A/Professor Matt Sabin

Prevalence rates of overweight and obesity for 5 – 15 year old Australian children 25% 10% 5%

5%

1900

1950

1980

2015

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 39

Early bedtime and quality sleep are key to healthy kids and happy parents

T

he Institute continues to shed light on the importance of sleep for children’s mental and physical wellbeing. Using data from the Growing Up in Australia study, two research papers also showed the impact of children’s sleeping patterns on the health and happiness of parents.

Doctor Anna Price

When it comes to kids’ sleep, it’s about quality, not quantity

H

ow long a child sleeps at night is not a good indicator of their health and wellbeing, according to our researchers, who have challenged guidelines that specify the optimum sleep duration for children.

Researchers from the Institute, led by Dr Anna Price, examined the sleep patterns of more than 3000 children aged between four and nine, using diaries to analyse links between the duration of sleep and a child’s health and wellbeing. The findings, published in Sleep Medicine, showed there were only weak associations between sleep duration and a range of child and parent health and wellbeing factors. The associations were inconsistent across ages and measures.

Sleep problems are common in childhood, and associated with poorer health and wellbeing for children and their parents. It is often assumed

40 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

that children’s sleep duration is the key factor underpinning sleep problems. However, the team found that the amount of sleep alone is not the most important thing for health and wellbeing.

This means that the current guidelines regarding children’s short sleep duration may be misguided.

“Existing literature supports the notion that shorter sleep is associated with poorer child and parent health and wellbeing, however we found, at most, only modest associations between decreasing sleep duration and some poorer child and parent measures at some ages and no associations at other points.”

Dr Price said other aspects of sleep are important, such as timing, when children go to bed and wake up – and fragmentation, such as waking up throughout the night or how long it takes to fall asleep.

Doctor Jon Quach

The true importance of bedtime revealed

R

esearchers are encouraging parents to get their children to bed early, after a subsequent study found that an early bed time is more important than ensuring kids have a long sleep.

According to the research presented by Dr Jon Quach at the Sleep DownUnder conference in October, children who get to sleep early are also more likely to have better health and happier mums.

Dr Quach and colleagues analysed sleep and lifestyle data collected from the parents of children at ages four to five, six to seven and eight to nine who participated in the Growing Up in Australia study.

Researchers divided children into four groups: • Children who were ‘early to bed’ and ‘early to rise’ • Children who were ‘early to bed’ and ‘late to rise’ • Children who were ‘late to bed’ and ‘late to rise’ • Children who were ‘late to bed’ and ‘early to rise’

Kids who were considered ‘early to bed’ were asleep by 8.30pm, while ‘late to bed’ kids fell asleep after this time.

Results showed children who are ‘early to sleep’ have better health-related quality of life compared with children who are ‘late to sleep’.

Their mothers also have improved mental health.

The benefits were seen in all ‘early to bed’ kids regardless of whether they woke early or slept late. However, bed time wasn’t related to other things like weight or learning.

The study is the largest of its kind and the first to show the benefits of getting young ones snoozing earlier.

“This is valuable information for parents, many of whom will know how important it is for their kids to get lots of sleep overall but not much about how significant the bedtime itself is,” said Dr Quach.

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 41

“Genomic medicine is the way of the future and brings hope to families who have otherwise been without a diagnosis or successful course of treatment.”

– Professor Kathryn North

42 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

Taking genomics across Australia

C

hildren and adults across Australia are benefiting from a $25 million federal government commitment which will support the integration of genomic medicine into healthcare across the country.

treatment,” said Professor North. “We will initially focus on finding better pathways for diagnosing and treating rare diseases and cancers, but eventually we aim to use genomics to prevent such diseases occurring in the first place.”

As part of its November funding announcement, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) announced a $25 million grant to fund the Australian Genomics Health Alliance (AGHA), a national network of 47 partner organisations including research institutes, hospitals and universities. The Alliance is led by MCRI Director Professor Kathryn North and Deputy Director, Professor Andrew Sinclair, as well as MCRI’s newly- appointed Chair of Genomic Medicine, Professor John Christodoulou.

The AGHA team will also conduct research to assess the economic feasibility of implementing genomics across the Australian healthcare system.

“This grant – the second largest in NHMRC history – will bring genomic medicine from the laboratory to the doctor’s clinic. It will help Australia to become a global leader in genomics,” said Professor North.

The Alliance’s programs will initially focus on two disease areas, rare conditions and cancer.

These studies are recruiting patients from across the nation who will benefit from a faster, cheaper and more accurate diagnosis using genomic sequencing. This will then inform the most appropriate clinical care and treatment for individual patients.

“Genomic medicine is the way of the future and brings hope to families who have otherwise been without a diagnosis or successful course of

“We will provide evidence that can be used by the federal and state governments to form policies and guide clinical practice for the implementation of genomic medicine in an ethical and sustainable way that will benefit all Australians,” said Professor Sinclair. “Importantly, we will investigate how best to educate doctors, health workers and the public about the benefits of genomics.”

The formation of the AGHA comes almost two years after the creation of the Melbourne Genomics Health Alliance, a Victorian genomics cooperative that involves clinicians and scientists from Murdoch Childrens.

Professor North is also at the forefront of the international genomics movement, taking on a key leadership role in the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health, a collaboration of over 350 major institutions internationally. Her roles in state, national and global genomics initiatives place Professor North, and subsequently, Murdoch Childrens as a leading voice on genetic technologies and personalised medicines.

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 43

What’s the fuss about genomics?

• Genomics is a discipline in genetics that analyses the function and structure of genomes.

• A genome is a complete set of DNA, including all of its genes. Each genome contains all of the information needed to build and maintain that organism – in our case, the human genome. The human genome contains about three billion pieces of DNA and over 20,000 genes.

• The genome is your individual recipe book.

Each gene is a recipe for an individual protein or “building block” in the human body and mistakes (variants or mutations) in individual genes are associated with disease.

• Most diseases have a genetic component. At least five per cent of the world’s population suffer from ‘rare’ genetic disorders; these account for most cases of severe intellectual and physical disability, and have a lifelong impact. Fifty per cent of childhood cancers have a genetic basis, as do many adult cancers like bowel and breast cancer. Up until now, our ability to diagnose these disorders has been low, with less than a 20 per cent success rate.

44 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

The technological revolution in genomics • The sequencing of the first human genome (The Human Genome project) was completed in 2003 and took 13 years to complete with a cost over ~US$3 billion.

• The “genomic revolution” over the past five years has been driven by major advances in the technology of gene sequencing and a dramatic decrease in cost. The cost of sequencing all 21,000 human genes (the genome) is now around $1000 – $2000.

• The vision for the Australian Genomics Health Alliance is a collaborative approach to the integration of genomic information into everyday healthcare, with patients, clinicians and researchers benefitting from ethical access to genomic information.

• Healthcare will shift from the current approach of treating a problem once it occurs - towards earlier detection, better prediction and greater prevention of disease and adverse outcomes, and targeted effective personalised therapy.

Genomics – a parent’s perspective:

By Sarah Hancock

O

ur son Ashton was born eight weeks early, after I went into premature labour at 29 weeks pregnant.

At five days old, a routine brain scan revealed he had a rare brain abnormality.

Everything changed for us that day.

The condition which affects around one in 4000 births, involves the complete or partial absence of the bridge that connects the two halves of the brain together.

Not only had our first baby been born prematurely but we were now faced with great uncertainty for Ashton’s future. We were given a ‘wait and see’ prognosis.

No one could tell us how Ashton would develop, whether he would be able to walk or talk or whether he would live a full life.

We spent a lot of time in and out of hospital in the first year of Ashton’s life.

At 11 months old Ashton began having life-threatening seizures. Every time he became unwell with even just a virus like a cold, he would have a seizure and stop breathing – which meant he had to be hospitalised constantly. At 13 months old he spent four days in the intensive

care unit (ICU) after contracting whooping cough despite being fully immunised. It was a very scary time, we felt so helpless, it was one of the lowest points we have had with him.

We were also told by our neurologist not to expect Ashton to walk or talk and that there was an increased chance that we may lose Ashton due to his epilepsy.

After Ashton’s ICU admission, his epilepsy became more stable and we were able to wean him from some of his medications. He became more alert and was more interactive with us, and with regular early intervention Ashton learnt to sit and roll. I devoted a lot of time and energy into helping Ashton develop.

Around the time he was two we decided that we would try to have a sibling for Ashton. This was a scary prospect for us because Ashton did not have a diagnosis and we had no idea if his condition was hereditary. We were referred to MCRI’s Neurogenetics team. They helped us to further investigate Ashton’s medical issues to find out what level of risk we faced in having another baby. Only four

days shy of Ashton’s third birthday, his healthy little sister Lyla arrived.

Our Genetic Counsellor, Kate Pope has been wonderful. She helped us to understand our level of risk, which was estimated to be between 10 and 30 per cent and explained to us our options.

We didn’t find out until Ashton was five that he had an extremely rare and newlydiscovered genetic mutation of one of his genes.

Ashton’s geneticist arranged genetic testing using Next Generation Sequencing through an MCRI collaboration with a research group in Japan. A rare gene change in a recently discovered gene was identified as the cause for Ashton’s symptoms. It was such a relief to finally have a diagnosis!

Ashton is six years old now and doing well. He is in Grade One at school and he is the happiest child, especially when he is swimming or riding horses. He walks very well with the use of his walker, no longer has seizures and has been weaned off his medication. He has a zest for life unlike anyone I have ever met!

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 45

“This study opens up a new window for the prevention of maternal perinatal depression. It is yet another reason for making the mental health of young women a priority.�

- Professor George Patton

Professor George Patton

46 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

The adolescent origins of maternal perinatal depression

R

esearch from the Centre for Adolescent Health has shown that almost nine in 10 women with perinatal depressive symptoms have had similar mental health problems well before becoming pregnant.

The findings challenge a long-held idea that perinatal mental health problems are different to those at other times in life.

The study, led by Professor George Patton, assessed 1000 young women aged between 14 and 29 years, for the presence of mental health problems on nine occasions over a 14 to 20 year period prior to conception.

Pregnant women were then assessed in their 32nd week of pregnancy, at eight weeks postpartum and at the time of the child’s first birthday.

The study found two-thirds of all mothers had a prior history of mental health problems at some point during their teens and twenties. Overall, there was a preconception history of mental health symptoms in 85 per cent of pregnancies with perinatal depressive symptoms.

Maternal perinatal depression is one of the clearest predictors of healthy emotional and intellectual development in children. Women who suffered from problems with depression and anxiety in adolescence through to young adulthood have more than one in three chance of having high levels of perinatal depressive symptoms.

health in life prior to getting pregnant, and perinatal depression “This study investigated mental health for many years prior to conception and not just from the point at which a woman recognises she was pregnant like nearly all previous studies. The study further challenges a view of maternal perinatal depression as a unique problem related to the hormonal changes in pregnancy. For the great majority, perinatal depressive symptoms are best considered as a continuation or recurrence of problems beginning well before pregnancy.�

According to Professor Patton, the study showed a stronger connection than ever before between mental

What is perinatal depression?

Perinatal depression is the collective name for depression which occurs either during pregnancy (known as antenatal depression), or after the birth of a baby (known as postnatal depression).

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 47

Meet the researcher: Professor George Werther

P

rofessor George Werther has witnessed the transformation of Murdoch Childrens Research Institute over the past 30 years. He has seen it grow from a small organisation, initially known as The Royal Childen’s Hospital (RCH) Research Foundation to the 1900 strong, multifaceted organisation it is today.

Having started in research in 1986, Professor Werther is a veteran on the Campus, establishing a clinical and laboratory research program centred on growth factors of conditions such as growth disorders, skin conditions and diabetes.

Growth factors are important for regulating a variety of cellular processes, including the development of diseases.

Professor Werther’s early research program was laboratory-based; analysing growth disorders, such as those causing children to have short stature, an issue that presented itself in the patient clinic.

However before commencing his career in Melbourne, Professor Werther studied overseas in Oxford, Cincinnati and Stanford, a period of his life he found highly-rewarding.

“My research training overseas was invaluable.

In Oxford, I was introduced to the laboratory, setting up my own assays in Nobel Prize winner, Hans Krebs’ former laboratory. In Cincinnati, I learned animal research, while at Stanford I was introduced to cell and molecular research techniques. So when I finally returned to Australia in 1983, I was familiar with the range of research approaches,” he said.

“Without having spent time away in this broad range of research centres, I would not have been adequately equipped to set up my large research program over the last 30 years. I believe overseas training and experience is essential for the young scientist.”

48 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

Since returning to Australia, Professor Werther has led a successful career. One particular highlight came in the late 1990’s when he and colleague Dr Christopher Wraight discovered a novel approach to treating psoriasis, a debilitating skin condition. Following significant funding from a national commercialisation program, Werther’s team provided the lead drug for the establishment of a new Australian biotech company, Antisense Therapeutics Limited, which listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in 2000. Professor Werther was a Director of the company, representing Murdoch Childrens, for 13 years until 2013.

Professor Werther’s research has also remained focused on translation; ensuring that discoveries made in the lab are relevant to the patient.

“On the one hand, in the clinic we look after our children with diabetes and other endocrine conditions, while in the laboratory we are seeking answers to questions about their condition, and seeking better ways to treat them. So research, especially in endocrinology, must go hand in hand with our clinical care. That is why I chose to do research.”

Professor Werther established, and until 2015, led the Centre for Hormone Research, the research arm of RCH’s Department of Endocrinology. This further cemented the relationship between the clinic and laboratory. After 30 years at the helm, Professor Werther stepped down as head of the Centre in 2015, and will focus the next phase of his career overseeing clinical trials for children with type 2 diabetes and obesity, alongside new Centre lead, A/Professor Matt Sabin.

Collaboration has always been deeply ingrained in Professor Werther’s work. He has worked closely with many scientists across the Institute including Dr Vince Russo, the senior scientist in Werther’s

laboratory for over 20 years. Together they have led growth factor research in the developing brain, and, more recently, potential therapies for various cancers in children and adults.

“He (Dr Russo) and I have established local and international collaborations to further this work, and hopefully we can move it down a commercialisation path,” said Professor Werther. “Collaboration at all levels is essential to successful research. Discoveries are rarely made in isolation in our very high-tech world.”

While Professor Werther is passionate about research, he also has a love of theatre. “For the last 20 years I have performed in a community theatre production once a year, playing characters as diverse as CS Lewis, Sigmund Freud and Beethoven. Theatre is a wonderful contrast to the intensity of scientific research, but it also provides a forum for public speaking and expression of ideas, which are very valuable skills in the world of research.”

“Collaboration at all levels is essential to successful research. Discoveries are rarely made in isolation in our very high-tech world.”

- Professor George Werther

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 49

Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Mother’s Day campaign

W

omen from around Australia gathered together to support child health research through the Institute’s Dame Elisabeth Mother’s Day campaign, which honours the great contribution of our Late Founding Patron, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch. A range of events, public relations activity and promotion raised significant funds and awareness of the importance of child health research.

We were very grateful to members of our Dame Elisabeth Mother’s Day Committee; Dahlia Sable, Kate Mohr, Susan Houlihan, Nat Deague, Anna Abeckett, Genevieve Brammall and Ariane Barker for their wonderful contribution and for introducing their friends and contemporaries to the work of the Institute through a program of garden parties.

In addition two major events were held to raise significant funds for the Institute’s genetic research and the purchase of new cutting-edge technology. Sarah and Lachlan Murdoch hosted a wonderful luncheon at their home in Sydney, and in Melbourne, staunch Institute supporter Paula Fox, held a beautiful event in her rose garden.

On both occasions Amy Clarke, whose 19 month old son Louis suffers from a rare genetic metabolic condition, spoke to guests about the work Murdoch Childrens has done in helping transform her son’s life following his diagnosis.

In 2014, Amy and her husband Martin were told that Louis’ condition was terminal. However, after participating in a study, researchers from the Institute were able to isolate the gene which had caused Louis’ terrible illness.

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Amy touchingly described the heartache of their long diagnostic journey and encouraged those present to support the brave new world of genomic medicine, an area of research that Dame Elisabeth was passionate.

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50 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

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D

ame Elisabeth Mother’s Day Appeal was also featured in the May 2015 edition of the Australian Women’s Weekly.

Murdoch Childrens Director, Professor Kathryn North and Ambassador Sarah Murdoch appeared alongside supporters Dame Quentin Bryce, Hon. Marie Bashir and Lisa Wilkinson. The photos were taken in the beautiful house and garden of Alison and Simon Rothery.

Sarah Murdoch spoke of her memories of Dame Elisabeth and how she has been inspired by her.

“I try to emulate her generosity of spirit in my day-to-day life,” said Sarah in the article.

“She was always thinking of others.”

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The beautiful floral artwork for this special annual appeal was provided by the renowned Australian artist, Mirka Mora.

Thank you to our campaign supporters: Lisa Wilkinson, Jennifer Keyte, Mirka Mora, Domain Flowers, Harry the Hirer, Peter Rowland Catering, Splitrock, Yabby Lake Wines, Haighs Chocolates, La Prairie, Madame Flavour Tea, The Australian Women’s Weekly, MOR, Stephen Thatcher, Flourish Flower Merchants, Darren Taylor Catering, Pages Event Equipment.

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1. Amy, Louis and Martin Clarke 2. Sarah Murdoch, Ros Packer and Professor Kathryn North 3. Alison and Simon Rothery with Kellie Hush 4. Ros Packer 5. Dame Quentin Bryce, Amy, Louis and Martin 6. Dame Quentin Bryce 7. Hon. Marie Bashir, Dame Quentin Bryce, Lisa Wilkinson, Professor Kathryn North and Sarah Murdoch 8. Chris, Jean and Andrew Miller 9. Krystyna Campbell-Pretty 10. Jennifer Keyte 11. Paula Fox

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2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 51

Step-a-thon for Kids 2015

In

its third year, Step-a-thon for kids had over 20,000 participants getting active and raising funds to help our researchers change the lives of seriously ill children.

Tim Cahill, Commando Steve and Liz Ellis joined our Board member Sarah Murdoch as ambassadors, attracting national media coverage and increasing support from our community and primary schools around the country.

This year’s campaign was launched by thenPrime Minister Tony Abbot, who joined Olympians Sally Pearson and Matt Shirvington, Commando Steve, Natarsha Belling and Nova FM’s Tim Blackwell on a morning walk from the Botanic Gardens to the Sydney Opera House.

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The impressive list of ambassadors were joined

by MCRI Director Professor Kathryn North, students from West Pennant Hills Primary School and special guest six-year-old Emilee, who had been one of the outstanding participants from Step-a-thon 2014, despite having a prosthetic leg.

Step-a-thon aims to teach children the importance of being healthy and active. Over the past three years, Step-a-thon has encouraged almost 60,000 children to put their pedometers on and get moving while raising funds for the Institute.

2

Step-a-thon is now moving onto its next chapter, set to be bigger and better than ever as we invite parents, grandparents and corporate employees to join kids and get active.

3 1. Students from West Pennant Hills Primary School 2. Commando Steve takes a selfie with some lucky students 3. Emilee and Commando Steve 52 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

S tep-a-thon fo r k i d s

Meet our Step-a-thon Stars: Jenna and Aylee

T

his year we were blown away by the efforts and enthusiasm of all the kids who signed up to Step-a-thon, but would love to acknowledge two passionate sisters whose fundraising left us all in awe.

Jenna, nine, and Aylee, seven, were our biggest fundraisers in Step-a-thon history, together raising over $12,000!

Both Jenna and Aylee wanted to raise money “to help people find cures to make people better,” and their Mum Angie was so excited at their efforts, explaining “Aylee is in remission from leukaemia so this is a big deal to us”.

The girls, who would like to be a teacher and a singer when they grow up, got to celebrate this wonderful news with a family trip to Disneyland!

We are so thankful that these big-hearted sisters decided to put their heads together and get their friends and family behind them to support our research.

Aylee & Jenna

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 53

“The surgery that Olivia underwent was localised to areas which suffer from high levels of seizure activity. Because of research conducted at MCRI, surgeons were able to minimise the side effects of the operation.”

– Anna Christen Olivia’s dad Peter

Olivia Christen

The team, known as “Through the Fog”

54 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

Riding for Olivia

O

livia Christen has been through a lot in her short life. At just 15 months of age, Olivia developed a form of epilepsy that limited her cognitive growth and halted the development of the toddler’s personality.

According to her mother Anna the condition was devastating, and after months of failed medications and treatment, all that remained of her daughter was a “foggy, vacant shell of a girl who was once clever, cheeky and sparkly eyed.”

In 2014, Olivia underwent brain surgery at The Royal Children’s Hospital, travelling to Melbourne from their hometown in Cloncurry, outback Queensland.

“The surgery that Olivia underwent was localised to areas which suffer from high levels of seizure activity,” said Anna. “Because of research conducted at MCRI, surgeons were able to minimise the side effects of the operation.”

The research, developed by MCRI’s Neuroscience Research group, culminated in newly-developed sophisticated imaging technology.

The technology is known as diffusion MRI tractography. It provides virtual images representing the brain nerve fibre pathways, which cannot be accurately detected by the naked eye during the surgery. These nerve fibre pathways carry important information, such as those controlling movements, eyesight, and language. Surgical disruptions to these nerve fibre pathways can lead to functional impairments, adversely impacting a child’s overall brain development following surgery.

“Olivia is now three years old and hitting average developmental markers for speech, cognition and physical ability. This is amazing and would not have been possible without this surgery,” said Anna.

In 2015, Olivia’s family embarked on a journey known as the Border Ride; a 203km bike ride from Mount Isa to the Northern Territory border.

Alongside 22 teammates, they aimed to raise awareness for epilepsy and fundraise for research into the treatment of neurological disorders. Blitzing their fundraising target of $10,000, the team, known as “Through the Fog”, raised over $26,500 for Neuroscience research.

“Our charity name ‘Through the Fog’ describes the effect epilepsy has on the brain,” said Olivia’s dad Peter. “Some days are clear and sunny, while others are foggy due to abnormal brain activity.

Together our team was riding through the fog to find a cure.”

Peter and the team completed the massive trek in an incredible time of seven hours and 20 minutes.

Anna said, “It is a humbling experience given so many people assisted in this great cause, helping us to achieve a great result and raise awareness that can change the lives of many children and families.”

This imaging technology had been used widely in adult epilepsy brain surgery before MCRI researchers refined its use for children suffering from the condition. Developed by Dr Joseph Yang, the new technology enables surgeons to precisely plan and perform the operations, and remove difficult-to-reach lesions that would otherwise inadvertently damage the nerve fibre pathways that are close to these lesions.

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 55

Biennale

B

arry and Suzi Carp generously hosted a spectacular evening of entertainment and generosity in May for the Institute’s second Biennale event.

The evening featured an intimate dinner giving supporters the opportunity to learn about the Institute’s work and to hear from speakers including Director Professor Kathryn North, ambassador Sarah Murdoch and long-time supporter Mrs Joan Lefroy.

The dinner was followed by an evening of entertainment including performances by singer Christie Whelan-Browne and the Australian Children’s Choir. An auction followed, with guests raising an extraordinary amount to support the Institute’s work.

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Thank you to our dedicated Biennale Committee members, Steven Casper (Chair), Dion Appel, Ariane Barker, Lisa Bond, Elizabeth Briskin, Tanya Hamersfeld, Vas Katos, Clark Kirby, Cassy Liberman and Laurel Robertson for their hard work and dedication in bringing this fabulous event to life.

Thank you to our suppliers, Fred & Ginger Catering, Goodway Printing, Harry the Hirer, Jacklyn Roma Floral Design, Larger Than Life events, Life Lounge Group, Moth Design, The Marquee People, Vraken Pommery Australia and Yabby Lake Wines.

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Suzi Carp, Sarah Murdoch and Steven Casper Joan Lefroy Clarke and Sara Kirby Sarah Murdoch Will and Natalie Deague Dahlia and Nathan Sable Professor Kathryn North and Joan Lefroy

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 57

Thermomix commit $1 million to child health

T

he Institute’s research received a major boost after Thermomix in Australia donated $1 million in early 2015.

Institute ambassador and Board Member Sarah Murdoch accepted the donation on behalf of Murdoch Childrens from Thermomix in Australia Managing Director Grace Mazur at a special event in Sydney.

“We are very inspired by the work of the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute,” said Grace Mazur.

“We hope our donation will help MCRI continue to lead the way with their very important research to ensure future generations of children are healthy.”

Founded by Grace and her husband Witek in 2001, Thermomix in Australia has become the leading independent distributor of the Thermomix appliance worldwide. The kitchen appliance has become especially popular with parents of children with food allergies, and those looking to provide healthy meals for their families.

“At Thermomix we are very passionate about encouraging healthy lifestyles. Families and children are part of our wider Thermomix community of Consultants and customers so we’re very excited to be supporting Murdoch Childrens. This partnership is very much aligned with our vision of making a difference to the health of our future generations.”

The unprecedented donation kicked off a strong partnership between the two organisations, with Thermomix sharing research updates, news and inspiring stories from Murdoch Childrens with their consultants, who now number over 3000 nationwide.

Sarah Murdoch said, “As ambassador for Murdoch Childrens, I meet parents who are desperate for answers. Knowing it is the research that allows us to treat and ultimately prevent childhood disease, the incredibly generous gift from Thermomix gives our researchers the support they need to continue their important research into finding these answers.”

Grace Mazur, Sarah Murdoch & Bianca Mazur

58 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

MCRI’s bequest program

T

he Institute’s bequest program encourages supporters to make a real difference to the health of future generations through their Will.

Laurence Cox AO, former Director and Chairman of the Institute for 25 years is the program ambassador.

“I have observed first-hand the growth of the Institute from a small band of researchers during the 1980s to the world-class Institute it is today.

Since I stepped down as Chairman in 2009, I have remained closely involved with the work of the Institute including backing the new bequest program,” said Laurie.

Mr Laurence Cox AO

“The Institute has been a big part of my life for the past four decades and I feel greatly privileged to have seen so many life-saving breakthroughs and medical advances in that time. I know firsthand just how committed and dedicated all the staff at the Institute are, how hard they work and how determined they are to find cures for childhood illness and disease,” said Mr Cox. Bequest donations allow the Institute to undertake innovative and life-changing medical research projects and to continue to improve the health and well-being of children in Australia and around the world.

For more information about this program please visit our website www.mcri.edu.au

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 59

Murdoch Childrens Research Institute Financials at a glance

Other research income Contract research & clinical trials Finance income

Donations, fundraising & bequests

Clinical services

7%

8%

3% 11%

Revenue

50%

Government & other research grants

21%

2015

2014

$ (Mil)

$ (Mil)

REVENUE Government and other research grants

Clinical services

25.67 24.29

Donations, fundraising and bequests

13.51 11.91

Finance income

4.18 3.86

Contract research and clinical trials

8.46 8.32

Other research income

9.78 7.49

Total Revenue

124.47 111.69

We are grateful for the support of the Victorian State Government’s Operational Infrastructure Support Scheme

60 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

62.87

55.82

Facility, technical & scientific services

11%

Administration

8%

1% Fundraising

Expenditure 19% 61%

Clinical services

Research expenditure

2015

2014

$ (Mil)

$ (Mil)

EXPENDITURE Research expenditure

Clinical services

Fundraising

1.76 1.64

Administration

9.98 7.69

Facility, technical and scientific services

Total Expenditure

122.15 108.71

74.12

65.36

23 22.31

13.3 11.71

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 61

Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and its controlled entities Statement of Comprehensive Income for the year ended 31 December 2015 Consolidated

The company

2015

2014

2015

2014

$

$

$

$

Revenue from research and clinical activities

95,913,698

82,715,498

72,623,306

Depreciation and amortisation

(7,622,318) (6,687,969)

(6,488,673)

(5,466,186)

Other expenses for research and clinical activities

(112,773,767) (100,381,193)

(90,906,497)

(79,290,234)

Surplus/(Deficit) from research and clinical activities

(11,155,464)

(14,679,672)

(12,133,114)

Donations, Estates and Bequest and Fundraising income 13,508,384 11,914,400

13,508,384

11,914,400

Fundraising expense

(1,756,521) (1,638,648)

(1,756,521)

(1,638,648)

Net surplus obtained from Fundraising Activities

11,751,863 10,275,752

11,751,863

10,275,752

Net Finance income/(expense)

4,055,761

3,708,972

Operating surplus for the period

2,315,104 2,976,647

1,127,952 1,851,610

Net change in available for sale financial assets

(299,827) 665,407

(299,827) 665,407

Total comprehensive surplus for the period

2,015,277 3,642,054

106,781,072

(13,615,013)

4,178,254

3,856,359

Other comprehensive income: Items that may subsequently be reclassified to profit or loss:

62 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

828,125 2,517,017

Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and its controlled entities Statement of Financial Position as at 31 December 2015 Consolidated

The company

2015

2014

2015

2014

$

$

$

$

CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents

Trade receivables and other assets

26,458,661

18,843,901

19,340,051

8,799,703 11,351,245

6,322,016

8,497,293

Other investments

21,669,314 20,918,395

21,102,407

20,358,217

Total current assets

58,806,593 58,728,301

46,268,324 48,195,561

Trade receivables and other assets

61,707,199

60,365,738

61,707,199

Other investments

43,644,171 41,587,358

43,644,171

41,587,358

Property, plant and equipment

15,114,627 15,302,593

13,878,351

14,198,218

Intangibles

1,990,346 2,470,953

-

-

Total non-current assets

121,114,882 121,068,103

117,888,260 117,492,775

Total assets

179,921,475 179,796,404

164,156,584 165,688,336

Trade and other payables

28,795,540 32,076,377

Employee benefits

12,208,399 10,841,739

Total current liabilities

43,267,615 45,236,417

36,651,815 39,100,986

28,337,576

NON-CURRENT ASSETS 60,365,738

CURRENT LIABILITIES 31,059,216

34,394,678

7,856,275

7,024,609

NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES Employee benefits

Total non-current liabilities

1,817,724 1,739,128

Total liabilities

45,085,339 46,975,545

38,126,010 40,485,887

Net assets

134,836,136 132,820,859

126,030,574 125,202,449

1,817,724

1,739,128

1,474,195 1,384,901 1,474,195

1,384,901

MEMBERS’ FUNDS Accumulated funds

Fair value reserve

1,883,674 2,183,501

1,883,674

2,183,501

Translational Research fund

39,545 39,545

-

-

Total members’ funds

134,836,136 132,820,859

126,030,574 125,202,449

132,912,917

130,597,813

124,146,900 123,018,948

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 63

Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and its controlled entities Statement of Cash Flows for the year ended 31 December 2015 Consolidated

The company

2015

2014

2015

2014

$

$

$

$

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Patient fees received

18,566,920

-

-

Government and other grants received

65,813,290 67,079,570

59,371,752

59,515,121

Donations received

13,513,921 11,917,436

13,508,384

11,912,400

Interest received

1,617,058 972,162

1,367,200

8,53,499

Other receipts

19,647,219 15,260,356

22,097,219

17,210,356

Advances to (from) related parties

- -

(79,302)

(434,068)

Cash paid to suppliers and employees

(115,298,245) (100,774,560)

(93,242,414)

(79,524,825)

Net cash provided from/ (used in) operating activities

20,767,106

6,060,349 13,021,884

3,022,839 10,402,619

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES Investment income received

2,511,227 3,158,482

2,388,732 3,011,095

Acquisition of property, plant and equipment

(5,612,284) (5,353,949)

(4,827,344) (4,076,496)

Acquisition of investments

(2,056,813) (2,760,973)

(2,056,813) (2,760,973)

Net cash provided from/ (used in) investing activities

(4,956,440)

(4,495,425)

(3,826,374)

Net increase/ (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

902,479 8,065,444

(1,472,586)

6,576,245

Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January

26,458,661

17,714,672

19,340,051

12,085,261

Effect of foreign exchange on opening cash balances

976,436

678,545

976,436

678,545

Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December

64 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

(5,157,870)

28,337,576 26,458,661

18,843,901 19,340,051

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 65

Donors

A Mr James & Mrs Anna A’Beckett Mr Paul & Mrs Nina Aberdeen Aidan & Oliver Biggar Cystic Fibrosis Fund Ajaco Enterprise Pty Ltd Alex Perry Pty Ltd Mr Charles Allen Ms Yasmin Allen Mr Andrew Alston Mr Andrew Altree-Williams Ms Laura Anderson Mr Dion & Mrs Kylie Appel Mr Christopher Archibald & Ms Melissa Goode Mr Wayne Armour Mr Martin & Mrs Toni Armstrong Ms Emma Auld Mr Peter Austin Australian Communities Foundation: Ballandry (Peter Griffin Family) Fund N E Renton Bequest

B Mr Angus & Mrs Ariane Barker Ms Alina Barlow Mr Paul Barnett Mr Paul & Mrs Sharon Bassat Bayer Australia Limited Mrs Gillian Beaurepaire Mr Max Beck AM & Mrs Lorraine Beck Bellwether Foundation Pty Ltd

Mrs Catherine Brenner Mr David & Mrs Elizabeth Briskin Mr Graeme Brooke Saxon Brooke Mr Sam & Mrs Tania Brougham Mr Cameron Brown Mr Nick & Mrs Prue Brown Mr Stephen & Mrs Renate Browning BUPA Australia Mr Rowan Burnett Buzz Products

C CAF Community Fund Mr John Calvert-Jones AO & Mrs Janet Calvert-Jones AO Calvert-Jones Foundation Mrs Krystyna Campbell-Pretty

Mrs Maria Casamento Mr Steven Casper & Ms Ilana Wald Charles and Cornelia Goode Foundation Charles Holckner Family Cher Family Foundation Children’s Cancer Foundation Mr Andrew & Mrs Vanessa Chrapot

Mr David & Mrs Kristene Deague Mr Jonathan & Mrs Ella Deague Mr Will & Mrs Natalie Deague Ms Margaret Dean DHB Foundation Dimmick Charitable Trust

E Mr Luke & Mrs Simone Edgley Mr Shane & Mrs Najla Elliott Entertainment Publications Ms Karen Enthoven Mr Alex & Mrs Fiona Evans Mr Matthew Evans

Mr M Clough & Mrs C Clough

Mrs Meredith Evans

Mrs Carole Coad

Ms Megan Connelly Ms Amanda Coombs Mr Anthony & Mrs Melanie Coops

F Mr Joe & Mrs Linda Faralla Mrs Deirdre Farfor Mr Joseph & Mrs Fiona Fayyad FB Rice Mrs Joan Fell

Mr Philip & Mrs Caroline Cornish

Mr Tom & Mrs Vanessa Fennell

Corum Group Limited

Ms Sandra Fidock

Cotton On Kids

Mr Sam & Mrs Virginia Fielding

Count Charitable Foundation

Fight Cancer Foundation

Mr Laurence G Cox AO & Mrs Julie Ann Cox

Mr Robert & Mrs Bernadette Fitzgerald

Mr Peter & Mrs Carolyn Creswell

Mr Chris & Mrs Michelle Blyth

Cripps Foundation

Mr Brian & Mrs Helen Blythe

Customer Service Pty Ltd

66 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

Dr Richard & Mrs Sarah de Crespigny

Mr Leigh Clifford AO & Mrs Sue Clifford

Creswick Foundation

Mr Bruce & Mrs Genevieve Brammall

Dr Charles Day & Ms Elise Everest

Mr Barry & Mrs Mary Evans

Blue Illusion

Bradbury Public School

Mr Brendan Davis-Gibbons

CitiPower & Powercor

Mrs Helen M Collis

Mr Daneal & Mrs Jessica Blicblau

Mr Rohan & Mrs Monique Davis

Mr David & Mr Robbie Dyer

Mr Jean-Michel & Mrs Christiane Berlioz

Mr Andrew Penn & Ms Kallie Blauhorn

Ms Sandra Davies

Mr Barry & Mrs Suzi Carp

A/Professor John & Mrs Mandy Collins

Mrs Rosemary Bird

Ms Sarah Darling

Ms Madeleine Drake

Benton Junior College

Big W

Mrs June Danks

Dr Leon & Mrs Marlen Carp

Mr John & Mrs Christine Collingwood

Ms Cathy Bibby

Dr Richard & Mrs Anita Dammery

Ms Collette Dinnigan

Mr Trevor & Mrs Heather Cohen

Mr Marc Besen AO & Mrs Eva Besen AO

Mr John & Mrs Sue Dakin

Dr Brandon & Mrs Nicky Carp

Mr Ron & Mrs Kate Bensimon

Mr Daniel & Mrs Danielle Besen

Ms Debbie Dadon

Mr Bernard & Mrs Helen Carp

Bendigo Stadium

Dr Bligh Berry

D

Forster Public School Mr David & Mrs Andrea Fox Mr Peter & Mrs Lisa Fox FOXTEL FOXTEL Management Pty Ltd Dr John & Mrs Diana Frew

Ms Jessica Frid Mrs Vivienne Fried

G

J Ms Margaret Jackson AC Mr David Jenkins & Ms Fran H Lefroy Mr Christian & Mrs Jinah Johnston

Galexer Pty Ltd Mr Michael & Mrs Helen Gannon Mrs Neilma Gantner Mr Ross & Mrs Judith Gardner Mr John & Mrs Gaye Gaylard Mr Raphael & Mrs Fiona Geminder George & Freda Castan Families Charitable Foundation Ms Julie Gibbs Mr John & Mrs Suzanne Gibson Mrs Sonia Gilderdale Goldman Sachs Gives Goldman Sachs JBWere Pty Ltd Good Shepherd School Mrs Louise M Gourlay OAM Mr Ross & Mrs Jo Grant Gras Foundation Mr Jamie & Mrs Rebecca Gray Mrs Elaine Greenhall Mr Paul Grifa Mrs Rosemary A Griffith Ms Madeleine Grummet

K Mr George & Mrs Rose Kailis Ms Kate Keane Mr Leon Kempler OAM & Mrs Ilana Kempler Mr James Kennedy Mr Ian Kennedy AM & Dr Sandra Hacker AO Ms Lidia Kerr Kilwinning Trust Mr Clark & Mrs Sara Kirby Ms Jien Kittikhoun Mr Larry & Mrs Sophie Kornhauser Mr Alan & Mrs Wendy Kozica

L

Harry the Hirer Mr & Mrs L Hart Heartkids VIC Hearts of Hope Australia Ltd Mr Geoffrey & Mrs Dorothy Heeley Mr Solly Hendler Mr John Henwood Mr William & Mrs Rea Hodgson Holden Mr Patrick & Mrs Susan Houlihan Mr Timothy Hovey Professor John Hutson

Mr John & Mrs Julie McPhee Melba Fresh Professor Geoffrey Metz & Dr Kaye Anderson Milleni Leathergoods Pty Ltd Minimax MKS Harris Pty Ltd Dr Anna Moffat Mr Dean & Mrs Kate Mohr Monark Partners Mr Mark & Mrs Evette Moran Mrs Suzanne Morgan Mr Marcus & Mrs Fern Moufarrige MTV Australia Pty Ltd Mr Lachlan & Mrs Sarah Murdoch Muscular Dystrophy Australia My Room

Mrs Rindra Le Grange Dr George & Mrs Joan Lefroy Ms Marj Lefroy Mr Sam Riggall & Ms Nichola Lefroy

H

Mr Michael & Mrs Dorothy Harrison

Ms Jennifer McMartin

Mr Baillieu Myer AC & Mrs Sarah Myer

Lifestyles Communities Limited

Ms Judith D Harley

Mr Simon McKeon AO & Mrs Heather McKeon

Mr Mark & Mrs Frederika Laurie

Mr Stanley Stavros & Ms Marisa Leone

Ms Summar Hammam

Mr Denis & Mrs Denis McConnell

Mr Barry & Mrs Barbara Landau

Mr Greg & Mrs Loretta Gunn

Mr Maurice E Hall

Ms Edwina McCann

Mr Ben Rozenes & Ms Laini Liberman Limb Family Foundation Mr John B Little Ms Denise Livingstone Mrs Eli LoGiudice Ms Jocelyn Lovegrove

N Mr Les Nash Dr Philip Neri Mr Michael & Mrs Felicity Nettlefold NewsCorp Mr Donovan Newton Nova Entertainment Mrs Genevieve Nunan

O

Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School

Mr Michael & Mrs Jodie O’Keeffe

M

oOh! Media

Mrs Christine MacGill Mrs Jacqueline Mackay Macquarie Group Foundation Mr Jeffrey Mahemoff AO & Mrs Helen Mahemoff

Cr Ken Ong & Ms Lin Ong Mr Tony Osmond Mr Chris & Mrs Tracey-Anne Oxley

P Mrs Roslyn Packer AO

Mrs Karen Louise Mann

Packer Family Foundation

Mr Bruce & Mrs Judy Matear

Mrs Tricia Page

Ms Isabelle Mathew

Paraclete Building Consultants

Mr John Higgins & Ms Jodie Maunder

Parmalat

Ms Bianca Mazur

Professor David Penington AC & Dr Sonay Hussein

Mrs Rachael Mazurczak Ms Helen McCabe

Ms Katrina Perrott 2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 67

Ms Dorothy Phillips

Ms Valerie Smith

RCH1000

Pierce Armstrong Trust

Mrs Fiona Smith-Hughes

Lady Primrose Potter AC

A/Professor Joe Smolich

The Samuel Nissen Charitable Foundation (managed by Perpetual Trustees)

Ms Christine Proctor

Mr Rodney & Mrs Ann Smorgon Mr Dean & Mrs Ellie Smorgon

Q Mr Michael & Mrs Adrian Quilter

R

The SANDEL Foundation The Scobie & Claire Mackinnon Trust

Mr Tony & Mrs Jennifer Smorgon

The Sunraysia Foundation

Mr Samuel Smorgon AO & Mrs Minnie Smorgon

The United Grand Chapter of Australia The Victorian Vernier Society

Mr Tony & Mrs Jennifer Smorgon

The Wolf Foundation

The Honourable Consul Trent Smyth

Thermomix in Australia and New Zealand

RACV Club

Mr Neil Spitzer

Mrs Danee Thompson

Mrs Kiri Rajakulendran

Splitrock

Mr Warwick Tobin

Mrs Donna Ravenscroft

Spotlight Charitable Foundation

Tour de Cure

Red Kite

St Bernadette’s Catholic School

Mr Huu H Tran

Mr Adrian & Ms Christina Redlich

Stafford Fox Medical Research Foundation

Mrs Cathy Tulloch

Mr Stephen & Mrs Bonnie Redman

Mr Joe & Mrs Teresa Stambe

Mrs Lucinda Turnbull

Mrs Margaret Reid

Mr Roy Stanley

Mrs M Rich

Mr Grant & Mrs Terri Stephenson

Mrs Beverley Richardson

Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation

Mr Colin Ritchie

Swann Family Foundation

Mrs Sue Ritchie

Mr Adam Priester & Ms Hollie Sweet

River Capital Foundation

Ms Susan Syme

Mr Michael Robinson AO & Mrs Judith Robinson

U UBS Foundation Uncle Bobs Club Mr Patrick & Mrs Margaret Upfold

V

Dr Paul & Mrs Gay Rosen

T

Rotary Club of Mandura Districts

Mr Peter & Mrs Mary Tallis

Victoria Law Foundation

Mr Simon & Mrs Alison Rothery

Tartakover Insurance Brokers

Victorian Medical Insurance Agency Limited

Ms Susan Rothwell

Mr Charles Tegner

Mr Todd Ryan

Mr Ion Teska & Ms Monique Rosshandler

Ryan Carlisle Thomas

The Cameron Family Foundation

Ryan Donald Memorial Fund

The Campbell Edwards Trust

S

The Flew Foundation

The Eirene Lucas Foundation

Mr Nathan & Mrs Dahlia Sable Sanofi-Aventis Australia Pty Ltd Mrs Pamela Sargood Mr Jon Satterley Ms Stephanie Savage Mrs Cate Sayers Schiavello Group Schudmak Family Foundation Pty Ltd Ms Rebecca Scott Mr Bobby Singh Mr Leon Skaliotis Professor Richard Smallwood AO & Mrs Carol Smallwood Mr Dennis Smart Mr Colin & Mrs Jan Smith Mr Michael & Mrs Maria Smith 68 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

The Fox Family Foundation The Good Guys Foundation The Invergowrie Foundation The Isabel & John Gilbertson Charitable Trust The John Barnes Foundation The Kimberley Foundation The Lewis Foundation The Miller Foundation The Myer Foundation The Peter Isaacson Foundation The Pratt Foundation The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation: Cancer Crusaders Auxiliary Cancer in Kids Auxiliary (CIKA)

Professor Alasdair Vance

W Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Dr Jacqueline Watts Ms Vivien Wertkin Mrs Heather Whee Mrs Anne Whinney Mr Tom & Mrs Sarah Whinney Ms Tara Wilkinson & Mr John Garnaut Willfish Gift Fund Pty Ltd Mr Ron & Mrs Joan Wilson Dr Jillian Woinarski Mrs Nancy Wood

Y Mr Jason Yeap OAM & Ms Min Lee Wong Mr Edward & Mrs Janet Yencken

Geelong Auxiliary

Z

Leukaemia Auxiliary at RCH (LARCH)

Mr Peter Zwar

In memory

In celebration

Astrid Kruse

Angela Brody’s Birthday

Barry James Greenough

Ann Smorgon’s Birthday

Clementine Whinney

Brodie Mondel’s Bar Mitzvah

Dr Denise Kirby

Cassy Liberman’s Birthday

Emma Ritchie

Coco Sable’s Bat Mitzvah

Ethan Devine

Curtis Wilkinson’s Birthday

George Lampitsi

Dean Mohr’s Birthday

Indiana Orlando

Dennis Elliott’s Birthday

Jennifer Crighton

Elizabeth Smith’s Birthday

Kevin & Gregory Mahoney

Ethan Lovell’s Baptism

Laura Jane Tynan

Harry Carp’s Bar Mitzvah

Margaret Williams

Harry Myer’s Baptism

Scarlet Soutar

Isaac Lim’s Birth

Shaun Nicholas Martin

Jenny Sharwood’s Birthday

Wei Ian Seet

Jesse Castan’s Bar Mitzvah

Wendy Slattery

Jessica Permezel’s Bat Mitzvah

Xavier James Noble Dev

Josh Mohr & Harry Newett’s Birthdays

In celebration

Estate of LI Roach

Joshua Joubert’s Birthday Julie-Ann Kerin’s Birthday Kaye Allen’s Birthday Lucas Weeden’s Bar Mitzvah Luke and Simone Edgley’s Wedding Mia LeFleur’s Birthday Milly Blumenthal’s Birthday Nina Rozencwaig’s Birth Peter Hersh’s Birthday Phillip Watts’ Birthday Zandy Fell’s Birthday Zoe Better’s Bat Mitzvah

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 69

70 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

2015 Annual Report MURDOCH CHILDRENS 71

Thank you to our corporate partners who supported us in 2015.

Our corporate partners provide significant financial support for our research as well as helping promote the Institute to new audiences.

Philanthropic funding from organisations allows us to seed fund new ground breaking research into the big health issues currently affecting Australian children.

For further information visit www.mcri.edu.au/get-involved/corporate

72 MURDOCH CHILDRENS Annual Report 2015

Tomorrow’s cures need your donations today Help the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute to find solutions for serious child health issues.

With your support, our researchers can continue to discover cures and preventions for conditions such as allergies, diabetes, cancer, obesity, and genetic conditions. Every donation, no matter the size, has the potential to save a child’s life.

Donate today 1300 766 439 | www.mcri.edu.au

Murdoch Childrens Research Institute The Royal Children’s Hospital Flemington Road, Parkville Victoria 3052 Australia Phone +61 3 8341 6200 Fax +61 3 9348 1391 www.mcri.edu.au ABN 21 006 566 972