WA researchers lead global centre to eliminate childhood asthma

An ambitious project that could stop children developing asthma is the centrepiece of a new world-class respiratory research centre launched in Perth.

WA Health Minister Roger Cook met with scientists, partner organisations and media to officially launch the The Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre, a powerhouse partnership between Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation and Perth Children’s Hospital. (Read the Minister's statement.)

The centre’s scientists are spearheading the development of therapies that would function like an asthma vaccine to both train the immune system and protect the lining of the airways to prevent the development of childhood asthma.

The Wal-yan Centre builds on 30 years of experience where WA’s respiratory researchers have been recognised as amongst the best in the world. Its formation brings together clinicians, scientists and the community, as well as the brightest minds from around the globe to drive a new research agenda for childhood lung health.

Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre Director, Professor Stephen Stick, said outcomes from the Centre’s research had the potential to save billions of dollars from the national healthcare budget, improve the lives of millions of children, and make a significant reduction in the Indigenous health gap.

“Eliminating asthma – which affects around ten per cent of Australian children – will be a key priority for the Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre, with our researchers pursuing a vaccine-like approach to solve this problem,” Professor Stick said.

In an example of true collaborative, multi-disciplinary research, leading scientists and their teams at the Centre are each investigating key components of how different immune pathways interact in lung and airway tissue to induce asthma.

“We are looking at training the immune system in young people who are identified as being predisposed to asthma, through genetic or environmental factors,” Professor Stick said.

“You can look at it like a switch lever on a train track – if we can train the immune system during the first year of life, a vaccine-like therapy can act as a switch to change the track and instead of following the pathway to asthma, the immune system is re-directed to a healthier outcome.”

In parallel research, the Centre’s Airway Epithelial team has been studying the protective barrier of the airway – the ‘airway epithelium’ – which has been shown to be different in children with asthma. The barrier is considered leakier, making it easier for viruses and toxins to enter the cells and trigger an asthma attack.  

The team is testing a new class of drug that is thought to interact and block inflammatory proteins, as well as prevent the leakiness of the airway epithelial barrier in children with asthma.

“This new approach can boost the natural immunity of asthmatic airways and protect against irritation by viruses,” Professor Stick said. “Used as a preventative measure, in combination with immune system training, we will effectively have an asthma vaccine that prevents the development of asthma in children.”

The Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre is focused on a life-long approach to respiratory health.

“Identification and intervention in early life will prevent life-long problems and lung damage,” Professor Stick said.

Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation has committed to collaborating with Telethon Kids Institute in a five-year fundraising strategy for the Centre.

“As a co-funder of the Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre we are confident that such a significant focus on childhood respiratory disease will not only have a profound impact on WA sick kids now but will continue to benefit kids with respiratory disease worldwide for future generations to come,” Foundation CEO Carrick Robinson said.

“This powerhouse partnership we have formed to support the Centre, will be leveraging the unique strengths of each of the partner organisations and combining these strengths to create an entity that will lead paediatric respiratory research in Australia,” agreed Telethon Kids Executive Director Professor Jonathan Carapetis.

“We all take breathing for granted, yet the community and healthcare costs of respiratory illness in children and adults are enormous.”

Visit the website: walyanrespiratory.org.au