The past year has seen the retirement of Prof. Robert Tindle (previous Director) and of Assoc Prof. Allan Gould, with closure of their respective research units (Viral Immunology and Therapeutics and Molecular Mapping). Coincident with these changes, SASVRC has entered a period of evolution, looking toward the anticipated move to the Academic and Research Facility, to be built alongside the new Queensland Children’s Hospital, and ongoing development of a revised framework for governance/organisation of research within the Queensland Health sector. Following the external review of SASVRC, a strategic plan has been developed to guide the operation of SASVRC through this period of transition.

There have been a number of research highlights for the past year. The Queensland Paediatric Infectious Diseases Laboratory (QPID), under the leadership of A/Prof Theo Sloots and Michael Nissen, is building upon its strong foundations to deliver important advances in several areas. A number of novel approaches for detection and sub-typing of viral and bacterial infections have been developed, including determination of antibiotic/antiviral drug resistance profiles which have been applied to several pathogens, from influenza to MRSA. Molecular epidemiology studies of respiratory infections range from the diversity of picornavirus infections to evaluation of the significance of person-person versus environmental acquisition of bacterial infections in CF patients, with important implications for disease control. Following their contribution to the identification of a novel polyomavirus, QPID researchers are now investigating the significance of newly identified polyomaviruses to disease in immunosuppressed patients, including a potential role in cancer. In addition, the Clinical Trials unit (QPID) has contributed to a number of commercially sponsored studies. Kirsten Spann’s group has made progress in delineating mechanisms whereby respiratory syncytial virus interferes with early cellular responses to infection, including identification of key regions of a viral protein (NS1) that modulate the host cell response. In addition, Dr. Spann has initiated studies toward identifying important differences between the behaviour of respiratory epithelial cells following virus infection, comparing cells from asthmatics with non-asthmatics. Studies of cytomegalovirus within the Herpesvirus Molecular Pathogenesis Unit have characterised a viral protein with a novel role during virus reactivation from a dormant state.

Congratulations are extended to those students who have successfully completed their studies including research conducted at SASVRC, in particular to Kevin Jacob and Seweryn Bialasiewicz who were awarded PhD degrees.  Congratulations also to David Whiley for being awarded a QCMRI Fellowship (RCH Foundation).

SASVRC would like to thank Prof. Jeff Mann, who stepped down from the Chair of the Committee of Management in 2010, for his valuable contribution to the operations of SASVRC over many years. We welcome Mr. Alan Fletcher as Acting Chair of the Committee.