Researchers Empowered to Unlock Childhood Disease Mysteries
New research underway in Western Australia has pinpointed several drugs that may hold the key to saving the lives of infants with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
Older patients can be successfully treated for ALL, children aged over five have a 90 per cent survival rate but sadly three in every five babies diagnosed with ALL lose their fight.
Associate Professor Rishi Kotechafrom Curtin University was one of six researchers to receive a share of last round’s $3.6 million dollars.
Associate Professor Kotecha said the team has identified chemotherapy drugs that are consistently effective against cancer and will now investigate their effectiveness in treating ALL and use them in international clinical trials. Ultimately, it is hoped there will be a discovery to save little lives and benefit children with cancer in Western Australia.
Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson last year announced a further $16 million boost to continue the great progress of the WA Child Research Fund (WACRF).
The 2024/25 round is now accepting applications for research to improve WA children’s and teens’ outcomes. Funded projects continue to contribute improving services, research capacity and medical knowledge.
The WACRF is co-funded by the State Government and the Channel 7 Telethon Trust and is administered annually by the Department of Health, through the Office of Medical Research and Innovation.
Since its inception in 2012, more than $46.6 million has been awarded to 160 projects – from developing probiotics to prevent childhood pneumonia to understanding the lifelong impact of paediatric burns on children’s health and reducing the impact of climate change on the health and wellbeing of children in WA.
Visit WA Health’s WA Child Research Fund for more information. Applications close 30 May 2025.
Comments attributed to Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson:
“The WACRF not only helps fund medical equipment, critical services and life-changing opportunities for sick, disadvantaged and vulnerable children, but also supports medical research into childhood diseases.
“The incredible work being supported by this fund is kicking goals in the medical research space – supporting medical researchers like Associate Professor Kotecha.
“This groundbreaking research work is crucial when it comes to providing Western Australian children with the best quality care now and into the future.”
https://www.wa.gov.au/government/media-statements/Cook Labor Government/Empowering-researchers-to-unlock-mysteries-of-childhood-disease-20250423