At the Telethon Kids Institute our researchers are searching for answers to improve the health and wellbeing of children and families affected by some of the most devastating, complex and common diseases and issues. At any one time we have more than 800 active research projects and 1400 staff and students that include laboratory scientists, clinicians, epidemiologists, bioinformaticians, statisticians, public health professionals and social scientists.
Our research is structured into Research Themes, programs of work and teams. We are committed to collaboration and work together with other research organisations, clinicians, practitioners, policy makers, consumers and the community to understand the complexity of factors that impact on a child's health and wellbeing and the translation of research findings into action. We actively reward research excellence and offer a range of schemes to support our researchers.
In August 2018, we moved to a purpose-built facility located within Perth Children’s Hospital on the QEII Medical Centre campus - the largest centre of excellence in healthcare, research and education in the southern hemisphere. With a footprint across seven floors, our new home features more than 7000sqm of work space and 2000sqm of laboratories (including specialty suites, equipment rooms and freezer farms), as well as dedicated clinical suites and a cryogenics facility. Our co-location with the Perth Children’s Hospital will enhance our collaboration with clinicians, nursing staff and other allied health professionals, leading to better care, better treatments and better health and development outcomes for our children and young people.
We are an independent medical research institute based in Perth, Western Australia and affiliated with the State's major universities. Our research is primarily funded through national and international competitive grants and generously supported by donors and governments.
Aboriginal Guidelines Standards
Latest reports & findings
An Assessment of Clinical Continuous Glucose Monitoring Targets for Older and High-Risk People Living with Type 1 Diabetes
To assess relationships between continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) time in range (TIR), 70-180 mg/dL, time below range (TBR), <70 mg/dL, time above range (TAR), >180 mg/dL, and glucose coefficient of variation (CV) in relation to currently recommended clinical CGM targets for older people, which recommend reduced TIR and TBR targets relative to the general type 1 diabetes population.
Diabetes (Type 1) Published research Diabetes and Obesity Subsite: DiabetesThe role of WhatsApp™ in pediatric difficult airway management: A study from the PeDI Collaborative
Management of the pediatric difficult airway can present unique clinical challenges. The Pediatric Difficult Intubation Collaborative (PeDI-C) is an international collaborative group engaging in quality improvement and research in children with difficult airways. The PeDI-C established a WhatsApp™ group to facilitate real-time discussions around the management of the difficult airway in pediatric patients.
Published research Technology & Kids Perioperative Medicine Paediatric anaesthesiaHealth System Enablers and Barriers to Continuity of Care for First Nations Peoples Living with Chronic Disease
Failings in providing continuity of care following an acute event for a chronic disease contribute to care inequities for First Nations Peoples in Australia, Canada, and Aotearoa (New Zealand).
Published research Aboriginal HealthRandomized Trial of BCG Vaccine to Protect against Covid-19 in Health Care Workers
The bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine has immunomodulatory "off-target" effects that have been hypothesized to protect against coronavirus disease 2019.
Published research Immunisation Influenza Infectious Diseases Vaccine Trials Group Subsite: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Subsite: Walyan COVID-19 Immunology and Breast Feeding Strep A & ARF TherapeuticsResearch themes
Research theme leaders
Associate Professor Glenn Pearson
Director of First Nations Strategy and Leadership
BA (Education) PhD Candidate
Professor Ben Jackson
Research Theme Head, Brain and Behaviour
BSc (Hons) PhD
Liz Davis
Head, Chronic & Severe Diseases Research Focus Area; Clinical Lead, Diabetes and Obesity Research
MBBS FRACP PhD
Professor Jane Pillow
Research Theme Head, Early Environment; Team Lead, Chronobiology
BMedSci (Dist) MBBS, PhD (Dist) FRACP