Research
Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia (AIFA)
AIFA was established by ASCIA to fund allergy and immunology research grants that encourage new and early career researchers to progress projects that do not yet have major funding. A total of 40 research projects have received AIFA grants since 2015. Donate to AIFA at www.allergyimmunology.org.au/donate and be assured that 100% of your donation or sponsorship goes directly to AIFA grants. The 2025 AIFA grant round will open for expressions of interest in April 2025.
National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE)
NACE facilitates allergy research throughout Australia. For information about research trials that are recruiting patients go to the NACE website. https://www.nace.org.au/allergy-studies-directory/
Centre for Food Allergy Research (CFAR)
Clinical Immunogenomics Research Consortium Australasia (CIRCA)
CIRCA is an Australasian Garvan-led collaboration of medical and scientific professionals that investigates the genetic causes of rare immune diseases. The mission of CIRCA is to understand the genetic causes of immunological diseases in individual patients. These findings are used to help improve outcomes for patients, their families and other individuals with similar immune diseases. Find out more at www.garvan.org.au/research/collaboration/circa
Dry Eye Clinical Trial
You are invited to take part in this dry eye clinical trial . The study aims to investigate and compare the effect of 0.1% ciclosporin A (1mg/ml) eye drops with an ocular lubricant eye drop - mineral oils + glycerin for 12-weeks on the immune cells at the surface of the eye in dry eyes. We are conducting this clinical trial, to understand if this medication, ciclosporin A, can reduce immune cells on the eye surface better than using regular lubricating eye drops. This will help us establish targeted therapy for dry eye disease and better disease control. Find out more at www.unsw.edu.au/medicine-health/our-schools/optometry/research-impact/volunteer-our-research-studies/dry-eyes
The response of the eye to different ocular allergy eyedrops
This double-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluates the impact of topical anti-allergy eye drops on ocular surface immune cells in adults with allergic conjunctivitis. Ninety participants are assigned to receive either a dual-acting antihistamine/mast cell stabilizer, corticosteroid, or lubricant eyedrops over two weeks of treatment. Utilizing in vivo confocal microscopy, the study assesses changes in immune cell density, morphology, and dynamic behaviour, correlating these findings with clinical symptoms and signs. This study aims to identify early immune biomarkers indicative of treatment response, enhancing the understanding of therapeutic mechanisms and supporting more personalized management strategies for allergic conjunctivitis.
Read more here. To register your interest, please email
ARISE allergic rhinitis (hay fever) trial
General practices and allergy clinics across Australia are invited to take part in a new clinical trial aiming to improve the lives of young people with hay fever, our country’s most common allergic disease. Recruitment sites in every state and territory have partnered with the National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE), hosted at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), to launch the ARISE Trial.
Register your interest here if you are interested in becoming a recruitment site.
An exception to every rule: Understanding the experiences and needs of immunisation providers to inform fair and equitable vaccine medical exemption processes
This is a qualitative study to explore clinicians’ experiences of assessing for and granting special medical exemptions for mandated vaccines. It is being conducted by Bianca Devsam, a nurse from the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, who is undertaking a PhD looking at ‘special medical exemptions’ for mandated vaccines. The aim is to define special medical exemptions as those medical exemption requests that sit outside the very strict criteria of anaphylaxis, immunosuppression, and natural immunity. Interviews will be 60 minutes long and can be virtual or face-to-face.
If you are a clinician who is interested in participating and sharing your thoughts, experiences and perspectives please sign up here: https://redcap.mcri.edu.au/surveys/?s=H7JW7NKHRY9KHX3A
A worldwide cartography of VEXAS: real-life data from a global survey on disease management
Vacuolation, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic (VEXAS) syndrome is a recently described multisystem disease. To better understand this disease and management around the world, a short survey is being proposed to clinicians managing VEXAS. The survey closing date was 28th February 2025. Should you have any questions, please contact:
- Dr Syed Ali (
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) Immunologist – Flinders Medical Centre and Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, or - Professor Carmelo Gurnari (carmelo.gurnari@ptvonline>.it) Haematologist – University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy and Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA
ANCA-Associated Vasculitis Survey for Clinicians
The Australian and New Zealand Vasculitis Society (ANZVASC) has recently established the Vasculitis Registry to better understand ANCA-Associated Vasculitis. This registry is similar to those in the UK and Ireland.
ANZVASC is conducting surveys as part of a study to determine by consensus, health and quality outcomes for reporting in the Australia and New Zealand Vasculitis Registry to improve ANCA-Associated Vasculitis care. The study will include 3 rounds of an online survey which take around 10 minutes each, undertaken over a few months. It is approved as a Quality Assurance activity at Monash Health (Reference Number: RES-24-0000-590Q). The survey can be accessed using this link: https://redcap.link/vasculitisoutcome
Management of Atopic Dermatitis (AD): 2 hours of CPD
Professor Connie Katelaris, A/Professor Chris Baker and A/Professor Stephen Shumack invite clinical immunologists and dermatologists to a program that has been approved by a CPD Home for 2 hours of Self-Reflection and a HREC as a research project. It concentrates on the use of new immunological therapies to treat severe AD and is only relevant to clinical immunologists and dermatologists who are able to prescribe these therapies on the PBS.
After you complete the survey using the link below, an invitation to a workshop will be sent to you, where the faculty will reflect on the results. An on-demand recording of the workshop will be available to those who are unable to attend in-person. www.surveymonkey.com/r/PG7SJY5
Nutrition in Children with a Primary Immunodeficiency
Are you the parent or carer of a child diagnosed with a primary immunodeficiency? We are interested in exploring food and eating in babies and children with a primary immunodeficiency. To be eligible, you need to have had experience as a parent or carer of a child aged 0 10 years who has been affected by a primary immunodeficiency in Australia, and have access to the internet.
For more information or to complete the survey, please click on the following link https://redcap.link/v74mimqf .
If you would like further information, please contact Dr Kirrilly Pursey via email
This project has been approved by the University of Newcastle Human Research Ethics Committee [approval number H 2023 0264
APDS1, APDS2 and APDS-Like (PTEN variants) Case Series
An Australian case series is being developed by Dr Lucinda Berglund and Dr Alisa Kane on patients with genetically proven Activated PI3K Delta Syndrome (APDS) type 1 or 2, or a PTEN variant with immunodeficiency (APDS-Like),
The plan for the case series is to publish it in collaboration with all the participants (i.e. everyone who recruits their patients) and in doing so to help provide supportive evidence for the application for a new treatment to be approved by the TGA in Australia, and therefore accessible for these patients if needed. Participation in the case series involves completion of a survey about clinical manifestations, and an option for further blood tests including detailed immunophenotyping.
For more information, please contact
Sanofi Australia atopic dermatitis (eczema) research
Sanofi Australia clinical trials in atopic dermatitis are listed here.
VALUE-Ig
A team of researchers at Monash University has received MRFF funding to undertake an economic evaluation of the use of immunoglobulin (Ig) in a range of patient cohorts including blood cancer, solid organ transplant, myasthenia gravis, and primary immunodeficiencies. For the primary immunodeficiency (PID) cohort the team aims to use routine collected administrative data to determine the reduction in the risk of infection for patients receiving Ig compared to no Ig. The researchers are looking for clinicians with relevant experience in treating PID patients with Ig to contribute expert clinical advice to the research team. Find out more at www.monash.edu/business/che/our-research/project-showcase/all-projects/economic-modelling-of-health-policies-and-technologies/evidence-synthesis-to-inform-the-optimal-use-of-immunoglobulin-the-value-ig-study
Contact