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Viridans group streptococci (VGS) are an important cause of sepsis in immunosuppressed children. We reviewed the effectiveness of risk-stratified addition of vancomycin to empiric febrile neutropenia therapy among 107 children with leukemia or undergoing an allogeneic transplant.
Cannabinoids are a group of chemicals that bind to receptors in the human body and, in turn, modulate the endocannabinoid system (ECS). They can be endogenously produced, synthetic, or derived from the plant Cannabis sativa L. Research over the past several decades has shown that the ECS is a cellular communication network essential to maintain multiple biological functions and the homeostasis of the body. Indeed, cannabinoids have been shown to influence a wide variety of biological effects, including memory, pain, reproduction, bone remodeling or immunity, to name a few. Unsurprisingly, given these broad physiological effects, alterations of the ECS have been found in different diseases, including cancer.
The Kids Research Institute Australia researchers may have unlocked a vital key to reducing the progression of leukaemia in children, potentially prompting a change in thinking around the best way to target treatment.
Personalised medicine for childhood cancers in West Australia is a step closer thanks to the Zero Childhood Cancer program’s state clinical trial launched today
Immunotherapy has revolutionised the treatment of cancers by harnessing the power of the immune system to eradicate malignant tissue. However, it is well recognised that some cancers are highly resistant to these therapies, which is in part attributed to the immunosuppressive landscape of the tumour microenvironment (TME). The contexture of the TME is highly heterogeneous and contains a complex architecture of immune, stromal, vascular and tumour cells in addition to acellular components such as the extracellular matrix. While understanding the dynamics of the TME has been instrumental in predicting durable responses to immunotherapy and developing new treatment strategies, recent evidence challenges the fundamental paradigms of how tumours can effectively subvert immunosurveillance. Here, we discuss the various immunosuppressive features of the TME and how fine-tuning these mechanisms, rather than ablating them completely, may result in a more comprehensive and balanced anti-tumour response.
Researchers have identified key differences between cancers that respond to immunotherapy and those that do not.
Eight outstanding researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia and the Institute-led Broome STEM Festival are finalists in the 2025 Premier’s Science Awards.
Eight childhood cancer researchers have been awarded over $2 million in transformative grants from Cancer Council WA to advance their pioneering work in improving cancer treatments and outcomes for patients in Western Australia and around the world.
On Monday 1 September, childhood cancer researcher Jacob Byrne is lacing up his running shoes and taking the first steps of an extraordinary challenge: 30 marathons in 30 days across Perth.
At The Kids Research Institute Australia, our Brain Tumour Research team is leading the charge to change the story for children diagnosed with brain cancer by working on safer, more effective treatments.