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| National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance |
| Formation | 1997 |
| Type | Research centre |
| Headquarters | Sydney, New South Wales |
| Leader title | Director |
| Affiliations | University of Sydney; Children's Hospital at Westmead |
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance is an Australian specialised research centre focused on vaccine-preventable diseases, immunisation policy, and surveillance. The centre conducts applied research, epidemiological surveillance, and rapid response to vaccine safety concerns, informing policy decisions for state and national health authorities. Its work interfaces with academic, clinical, and public institutions to translate evidence into immunisation programs and communication.
The centre was established in 1997 in Sydney during a period of heightened attention to vaccine policy following national debates involving Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and federal health agencies. Early initiatives connected the centre with University of Sydney, Children's Hospital at Westmead, National Health and Medical Research Council, Department of Health and state health departments to build capacity in vaccine surveillance and safety. Over subsequent decades the centre expanded its remit through interactions with international bodies such as World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Pan American Health Organization and collaborations with research centres including Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins University, Karolinska Institutet and Oxford University.
The centre operates as a joint initiative between clinical and academic partners including University of Sydney, Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Children's Hospital at Westmead and state health services such as NSW Ministry of Health. Its governance structure involves oversight from university executive committees, hospital boards like Sydney Children’s Hospital Board, funding agreements with federal bodies including the Australian Government Department of Health and advisory links to policy agencies such as Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation and the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Leadership and scientific committees include experts drawn from institutions like University of Melbourne, Monash University, University of Queensland, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and professional colleges such as Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
Research priorities encompass vaccine effectiveness, immunisation coverage, safety surveillance, and modelling of vaccine-preventable diseases including measles, rubella, pertussis, influenza, pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus and COVID-19. Programs integrate epidemiological studies with laboratory science at partners such as Westmead Hospital Laboratory, genomic surveillance collaborations with Wellcome Sanger Institute and statistical modelling work linked to groups at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Imperial College London and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Priority projects have included evaluations of childhood immunisation schedules compared across jurisdictions like Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and international comparisons with United Kingdom, United States, Canada, New Zealand and Singapore.
The centre maintains ongoing surveillance systems for vaccine-preventable conditions, contributing data to state registries such as the Australian Immunisation Register and national reporting mechanisms including the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. Outputs inform policy deliberations with agencies like Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, the National Immunisation Program, and intergovernmental forums including the Council of Australian Governments Health Council. Surveillance findings have underpinned public health actions during outbreaks in jurisdictions including Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and informed international responses coordinated with WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific.
The centre provides rapid epidemiological support during outbreaks such as measles clusters in urban centres and influenza surges, liaising with hospital emergency departments like Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and paediatric services at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. It conducts vaccine safety signal detection and clinical review activities in partnership with regulators including the Therapeutic Goods Administration and signal assessment groups associated with Australian Health Protection Principal Committee. Safety monitoring has addressed adverse events following immunisation for vaccines licensed by bodies such as European Medicines Agency and Food and Drug Administration, and contributed to national risk communications during the COVID-19 pandemic rollout.
The centre’s partnerships span academic, clinical, governmental and international organisations: University of Sydney, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, University of Oxford, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, state health departments across Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Victoria and overseas public health agencies including Public Health England and Health Canada. It also works with philanthropic and research funders such as the National Health and Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and industry partners involved in vaccine development like CSL Limited.
The centre provides training for clinicians and researchers through programs linked to University of Sydney, postgraduate courses with University of Melbourne and workshops for professionals from organisations such as Royal Australasian College of Physicians and Australian College of Nursing. It publishes peer-reviewed studies in journals tied to publishers like Elsevier, Wiley, Nature Publishing Group and contributes evidence reviews to policy bodies including National Health and Medical Research Council and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. The centre’s outputs inform clinical guidelines used in hospitals such as Westmead Hospital and public health guidance disseminated by departments including the NSW Ministry of Health.
Category:Medical research institutes in Australia