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. https://www.garvan.org.au/research/collaboration/circa
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-preson. https://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
Babyscreen+: genomic newborn screening in Victoria
Share your knowledge and expertise through 30-minute interviews to help shape the future of genomic newborn screening in Victoria.
The BabyScreen+ study is investigating the best way to deliver a genomic newborn screening program to all babies in Victoria. We want to understand the acceptability of models of genomic newborn screening amongst health professionals whose clinical practice may be impacted by the results of this screening.
We would like to invite paediatricians, specialists, and general practitioners to take part in a 30-minute interview by phone or videoconference. To participate in an interview, please email Nathasha at:
This study has received ethical approval from the Royal Children’s Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC Project Number: 91500).
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 Austraia 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.
Contact
CHOICE Allergen Immunotherapy Study
The CHOICE study coordinators are looking for clinicians to join them in an international multi-center academic project (CHOICE) that looks at factors that drives the prescription of allergen immunotherapy in real-life clinical settings.
To be a part of this project, they require clinicians to complete a quick 10-minute web-based survey about current practice when prescribing allergen immunotherapy and also a short questionnaire for each patient that you are prospectively planning to commence on allergen immunotherapy.
For further information go to: https://www.allergy.org.au/about-ascia/info-updates/choice-allergen-immunotherapy-study
Peanut Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) Trial for People Over 16 Years
St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney is recruiting to an Australia-first research trial to help people over 16 years of age, who are living with peanut allergy. We are investigating the effectiveness of combining omalizumab with peanut oral immunotherapy in improving safety and tolerability of peanut immunotherapy in adults. This will not cure peanut allergy, but aims to improve safety and quality of life for those living with peanut allergy into adulthood.
We are seeking participants who are:
- over the age of 16 and have peanut allergy
- have not been admitted to ICU for a peanut reaction in the last 5 years
- not lactating, pregnant or planning pregnancy
- and able to commit to 18 study visits over 12 months (7 of the visits take between 4 to 6 hours)
Prospective participants and their referrers can contact us by email at
Content updated April 2025