Local researchers are banding together to deliver world-leading insights into COVID-19.
The Hospital Research Foundation Group has been proud to support many areas including immunology, vaccine development, clinical trials, new ventilator technology, mental health, sanitation, and help for vulnerable patient groups and frontline healthcare workers.
COVID-19 Support
Bringing a cutting-edge DNA vaccine designed by University of Adelaide researchers and manufactured in South Australia to target the highly-transmissible Omicron COVID-19 variant to human trials.
The vaccine is delivered by a unique needle-free device and can be easily adapted to future variants.
Supporting a South Australian-led research collaboration which is analysing the immune response of recovered COVID-19 patients to determine how the virus affects the body, why some patients become sicker than others, how long recovered patients may be immune for, and use these insights to develop a vaccine.
Researcher
Dr Branka Grubor-Bauk (pictured), Professor Simon Barry and their collaborators have been one of the first research groups in the world to present findings on immunity one year after infection.
Supporting the Australasian COVID-19 Trial (ASCOT) across 28 hospital sites in Australia, New Zealand, India and Nepal to test various drugs and treatment combinations to reduce mortality or the need for mechanical ventilation in hospitalised but not yet critically ill patients with COVID-19.
Researcher
Infectious diseases clinician Associate Professor Steven Tong is leading the ASCOT trial.
Developing and testing a new “field” ventilator which doesn’t need to be used in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) setting or by ICU trained staff, with a key benefit being to help developing countries deal with the pandemic.
Researcher
Associate Professor David Parsons has teamed up with Australian lung imaging technology company 4Dx to develop and test the new lung ventilator.
Investigating whether existing antibodies that treat acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) would be effective in treating COVID-19.
Using existing knowledge about respiratory diseases could hold the clue to treating acutely ill COVID-19 patients.
Investigating the wellbeing and mental health of the South Australian community pre and post COVID-19 to inform future public health support.
Researcher
Professor Robert Adams and team are analysing the wellbeing of a cohort of 1300 people aged 37 to 98 from Adelaide’s north western suburbs as part of the study.
Determining the impact of COVID-19 on people with cancer to help develop the best course of action for these patients.
The emergence of COVID-19 left many vulnerable populations worried about how it may affect them. This project will help provide clues for people with cancer.
Supporting a review of the screening process of all staff and visitors attending hospitals during the height of the pandemic to check for COVID-19 symptoms or contact with people overseas and interstate.
For three months at the height of the 2020 pandemic, nearly 320,000 people were screened at the Royal Adelaide and Queen Elizabeth Hospitals – with 420 redirected to get a COVID-19 test.
Delivering care hampers for healthcare workers, pathology staff, people in quarantine, people in COVID testing lines and more across the pandemic.
At the height of the pandemic, hampers reached 2,600 workers at 58 sites across Adelaide.
Supplying 150 Spirometer lung testing machines for people living with Cystic Fibrosis to use at home, to avoid having this vulnerable group visit hospital for their regular tests and better facilitate Telehealth consultations with their specialists.
Who this benefits
Kyle Collis lives with Cystic Fibrosis and was hugely grateful for his at-home Spirometer.
