USQ researcher wins prestigious NHMRC grant to develop vaccine for inner-ear infections

Associate Professor Michael Kotiw will lead a crack team of researchers with the aim of developing a vaccine against one of the most common infections in children around the world.

More than 90 per cent of children will have a middle-ear infection by the time they’re two, a statistic Professor Kotiw hopes to greatly reduce.

With the help of a $483,675 grant from the National Medical Health & Research Council, Associate Professor Kotiw and his team will spend three years developing a vaccine for the control of a bacterial infection that leads to inner ear damage (Otitis Media).

'Otitis media is a very common disease, especially in children, so finding an effective vaccine could have a world-wide application,' Professor Kotiw said.

'Whilst there is an existing vaccine against the bacterium that we are targeting, it can only provide protection against about 20 of the 90 or so strains involved.'

'Our aim is to use recombinant DNA technology to develop a prototype double vaccine, one that will provide protection against all strains of a particular bacterium prevalent in otitis media and the very damaging Hepatitis B virus as well.

'We’re hoping to achieve this by adding components of the bacteria to the current safe and very effective Hepatitis B vaccine.'

Professor Kotiw will be aided by UK researcher Dr Jeremy Brown from the University College London, a world leader in investigating respiratory infectious diseases due to the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Joining them will be leading researchers from around Australia, including USQ staff Associate Professor John Williams-Mozley and Centre for Rural and Remote Area Health research fellow Ms Raelene Ward.

'Our initial focus is to reduce the incidence of otitis media in Indigenous Australian children who suffer the disease at about 5 times the rate compared to the rest of the community,' Professor Kotiw said.

'While this research project will focus primarily on alleviating the problem in Indigenous children, a successful outcome will have benefits by reducing the incidence of the disease in children worldwide.'

Contact Details:

Callum Johnson, USQ Media, (07) 4631 1163