Special Episode 9. New Vaccines with Professor Dale Godfrey
The Peter Doherty Institute was the first Australian laboratory to establish a Covid 19 PCR test and diagnose the first SARS- Cov 2 infection on Australian shores, its research scientist is heavily involved in developing novel diagnostic tools applied across many areas of medical science and the institute plays a key leadership role in advising state and federal government on best medical practice. It’s no great surprise therefore that we have learned of their ground-breaking development of a new subunit Covid 19 vaccine utilising the receptor binding domain at the tip of the virus’s spike proteins. This is the region responsible for virus attachment and infection and for eliciting over 90% of neutralising antibodies following SARS Cov-2 infection. Parallel with the subunit vaccine development, another Melbourne group – the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences has developed a similar vaccine but using mRNA technology copying the virus’s genetic sequence that codes for the receptor binding domain.
The Peter Doherty Institute was the first Australian laboratory to establish a Covid 19 PCR test and diagnose the first SARS- Cov 2 infection on Australian shores, its research scientist is heavily involved in developing novel diagnostic tools applied across many areas of medical science and the institute plays a key leadership role in advising state and federal government on best medical practice. It’s no great surprise therefore that we have learned of their ground-breaking development of a new subunit Covid 19 vaccine utilising the receptor binding domain at the tip of the virus’s spike proteins. This is the region responsible for virus attachment and infection and for eliciting over 90% of neutralising antibodies following SARS Cov-2 infection. Parallel with the subunit vaccine development, another Melbourne group – the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences has developed a similar vaccine but using mRNA technology copying the virus’s genetic sequence that codes for the receptor binding domain.
These vaccines enter the pantheon of other existing mRNA/viral vector/and subunit protein vaccines already available offering protection against Covid 19 but are different as they focus the immune response to the tip of the spike protein – the important receptor binding domain.
Both new Melbourne developed vaccines are entering phase 1 trials and results will be eagerly awaited.
Professor Dale Godfrey is a senior principal research fellow and immunology theme leader at the Doherty Institute and has played a major role in RBD subunit protein vaccine development.
Please join this conversation where Dale discusses the new vaccine development, their efficacy, and the phase 1 clinical trials evaluating the vaccines further.
References:
Professor Dale Godfrey: godfrey@unimelb.edu.au
doherty.edu.au
Phone: 83449325 for further trial information or at virgo-studies@unimelb.edu.au
To be a guest on the show or provide some feedback, I’d love to hear from you: manager@gihealth.com.au
Dr Luke Crantock MBBS, FRACP, is a gastroenterologist in practice for over 25 years. He is the founder of The Centre for GI Health, based in Melbourne Australia and is passionate about educating General Practitioners and patients on disease prevention and how to manage and improve their digestive health.
Special Episode 3. COVID-19 Vaccines with Professor Tony Cunningham
As the Covid pandemic continues to spread around the world with over 187 million recorded infections and 4 million deaths, countries including Australia have embarked upon vaccination programs including the use of mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna), viral vector (Astra Zeneca), and subunit protein vaccines (Novovax).
As the Covid pandemic continues to spread around the world with over 187 million recorded infections and 4 million deaths, countries including Australia have embarked upon vaccination programs including the use of mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna), viral vector (Astra Zeneca), and subunit protein vaccines (Novovax).
In Australia currently, less than 10% of our population have been fully vaccinated leaving our population exposed and subject to repeat widespread population lockdowns and contact tracing via local health departments.
Hesitancy to receive vaccination in part relates to perceived side-effects from vaccines as much as from difficulties relating to supply delivery.
In this episode, we are joined by Professor Tony Cunningham, Infectious disease physician and co-director of the Centre for virus research at WIMR who generously discusses vaccine side-effects including vaccine-induced thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (VITT), myocarditis and pericarditis as well as anaphylaxis. In this conversation, we delve into some very interesting aspects of vaccination and speculate on how the future may look for us all.
Please welcome Professor Tony Cunningham.
References include :
Australian Government Department of Health - joint statement from ATAGI and THANZ on thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome and the use of COVID-19 vaccine Astrazeneca (23rd May 21 ) The ATAGI statement on revised recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccine Astrazeneca (17 June 2021) Professor Tony Cunningham, www.westmead institute .org.au
To be a guest on the show or provide some feedback, I’d love to hear from you: manager@gihealth.com.au
Dr Luke Crantock MBBS, FRACP, is a gastroenterologist in practice for over 25 years. He is the founder of The Centre for GI Health, based in Melbourne Australia and is passionate about educating General Practitioners and patients on disease prevention and how to manage and improve their digestive health.
Episode 5. COVID-19 with Dr Babak Rad
Covid 19 has brought forth upon the world a pandemic unrivalled since the Spanish flu (1918 - 1920) caused by H1N1 influenza A. Described by Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg as the "new and invisible enemy", every doctor has had to avail themselves of knowledge regarding this highly contagious virus.
Covid-19 has brought forth upon the world a pandemic unrivalled since the Spanish flu (1918 – 1920) caused by H1N1 influenza A. Described by Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg as the “new and invisible enemy”, every doctor has had to avail themselves of knowledge regarding this highly contagious virus.
Today we are joined by expert infectious disease specialist Dr Babak Rad who will discuss:
· Our knowledge regarding the incubation period of Covid 19
· Virulence
· Quality of testing
· Asymptomatic spreaders
· The immunocompromised patients
· Medical therapies
· Vaccines
Much of our knowledge continues to be a work in progress, by the time this pandemic passes Covid 19 may be the best-known pathogen ever studied by humankind. Please join me in this interesting conservation with Dr Babak Rad.
Useful references include:
To be a guest on the show or provide some feedback, I’d love to hear from you: manager@gihealth.com.au
Dr Luke Crantock MBBS, FRACP, is a gastroenterologist in practice for over 25 years. He is the founder of The Centre for GI Health, based in Melbourne Australia and is passionate about educating General Practitioners and patients on disease prevention and how to manage and improve their digestive health.