Does neonatal BCG vaccination protect against infection and allergic disease in the first 5 years of life?

Summary Using data collected from participants in MIS BAIR you will investigate the clinical off-target effects of BCG in the first 5 years of life. Moreover, you will identify factors which influence the off-target effects of neonatal BCG vaccination. In this project you will have the opportunity to combine clinical findings with existing immunological data from MIS BAIR.

Project Details

In addition to protecting against its target disease, tuberculosis, the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has beneficial off-target ('heterologous' or 'non-specific') effects on human health. This includes reducing all cause infant mortality, likely by protecting against non-mycobacterial infectious diseases. Studies also suggest the BCG vaccination protects again allergic disease in children.

Our team has established two randomised controlled trials investigating whether BCG protects against non-mycobacterial diseases:  The Melbourne Infant Study: BCG for Allergy and Infection Reduction (MIS BAIR) is our RCT of neonatal BCG vaccination in >1200 children in Melbourne to determine if BCG protects against allergic disease, eczema, asthma and infections in the first 1 and 5 years of life

Using data collected from participants in MIS BAIR you will investigate the clinical off-target effects of BCG in the first 5 years of life. Moreover, you will identify factors which influence the off-target effects of neonatal BCG vaccination. In this project you will have the opportunity to combine clinical findings with existing immunological data from MIS BAIR.

The findings of this project will provide important insights into the off-target effects of neonatal BCG vaccination and the factors that influence these responses.

The Infectious Diseases Laboratory is located at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, part of the Melbourne Children's Campus, which also includes the Royal Children's Hospital and the University of Melbourne.