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Author: Luminesce Alliance
Join us at Luminesce Alliance 2024 Conference: Paediatric Precision Medicine: Advancing Research and Patient Care
Join us for the Luminesce Alliance 2024 Conference – Paediatric Precision Medicine: Advancing Research and Patient Care at the UNSW Sydney, Australia from 7–8 November 2024.
The aim of the conference is to showcase innovation, collaboration, and excellence in precision medicine research. Together we will explore the latest developments in basic, translational, and clinical research concerning children and families grappling with rare genetic diseases and cancers.
The conference brings together a wide range of researchers and clinicians including, post-graduate students, early career Fellows, nurses, allied healthcare workers, as well as government and the MedTech and Pharma industries.
We encourage you to visit the Luminesce Alliance 2024 Conference website and register your interest to receive updates including call for abstracts, call for sponsorship and early bird registration opportunities.
Announcing our first sponsor
UNSW Sydney is a global top 20 university, known for innovative, pioneering research and high-quality education with a global impact. Since our foundation in 1949, our aim has been to improve and transform lives through excellence in research, outstanding education and a commitment to advancing a just society.
Announcing our first keynote speakers
We are pleased to welcome our first keynote speakers for the 2024 conference.
| Professor Elaine Mardis, PhD Co-Executive Director of the Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine 
Dr. Elaine Mardis, PhD, is the co-Executive Director of the Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, holding the Rasmussen Nationwide Foundation Endowed Chair in Genomic Medicine. Additionally, she is a Professor of Paediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. An expert in cancer genomics and immunogenomics, she has over 430 published manuscripts. |
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Professor Neil Sebire
Neil Sebire, Professor of pathology at Great Ormond Street Hospital Institute of Child Health, is a prolific clinical academic with over 1000 publications. Specializing in clinical informatics and secondary use of health data, he serves as the chief research information officer at Great Ormond Street Hospital and was the first national chief clinical data officer for Health Data Research UK. Leading the GOSH clinical informatics research program, he oversees more than 20 PhD students in this field. |
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Professor Gary L. Free MD, MPH
Gary L. Freed MD, MPH is the Percy and Mary Murphy Professor of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine and Professor of Health Management and Policy in the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan. He serves as Associate Chair for Government Relations in the Department of Pediatrics and the Directory of Research for the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion in the Medical School. |
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Adjunct Professor Jean-Frédéric Levesque, MD PHD FRCP
Dr. Jean-Frédéric Levesque currently serves as the Deputy Secretary, Clinical Innovation and Research, and Chief Executive of the Agency for Clinical Innovation at NSW Health. Additionally, he holds the position of Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales. With over 150 peer-reviewed publications, his impactful research on healthcare access and inequity has garnered over 2,000 citations. |
Luminesce Alliance supported projects and investigators featured in Research Australia’s INSPIRE
We were delighted to see Luminesce Alliance along with projects and investigators Luminesce Alliance supports, featured in the 2023 December Health and Medical Advances in Paediatricsissue of Research Australia’s INSPIRE quarterly magazine.
Luminesce Alliance was featured in an article entitled ‘Leading the deployment of paediatric precision medicine‘ . The article highlights the achievements of our partners working in collaboration, and the development of the innovative Enabling Platforms Program to accelerate the translation of paediatric precision medicine discoveries into real-world applications.
Projects and investigators featured included Dr Kate Hetherington and her team’s focus on the psychosocial impact of precision medicine on children with cancer and their families as part of the Zero Childhood Cancer program and PREDICT trial, empowering children with cancer and their families to participate in precision medicine; Dr Suzanne Nevin and the ‘Finding a way’ positive psychology video series co-developed with families of children with rare and severe neurodegenerative conditions; Dr Michelle Lorentzos and Lani Attwood and the KAT program advanced therapeutics trial which is ‘Transforming Children’s Lives one gene therapy at a time’; and Professor Michelle Farrar and the newborn bloodspot screening pilot for spinal muscular atrophy, now available to all babies in NSW and ACT with further states and territories implementing screening.
We thank NSW Health for the support that makes Luminesce Alliance possible and our partners and high-calibre researchers for your commitment to leading the deployment of precision medicine and transforming the lives of children with cancer and rare diseases.
You may view the full INSPIRE Dec 2023 issue here.
Luminesce Alliance joins Research Australia!
Luminesce Alliance is delighted to become a member of Research Australia, the national alliance representing the entire health and medical research pipeline, from the laboratory to patient and the marketplace.
We look forward to working with Research Australia to position Australian Health and Medical Research as a significant driver of a healthy population and a healthy economy.
Next generation paediatric powerhouse
Luminesce Alliance is fueling a paediatric research powerhouse to deliver world-leading research and improve the lives of children and young people with genetic diseases and cancer. Our vision to change children’s medicine is being realised via our Enabling Platforms Program.
Leading researchers, from across our partner organisations, are focusing on improving the understanding and application of paediatric precision medicine in five areas:
- Functional genomics: identifying and understanding disease-causing genes and new treatments.
- Data: using big data to improve detection, treatment, and outcomes.
- Precision therapy: delivering new drugs and novel medical technologies that will support early phase clinical trials.
- Psychosocial: developing world-leading best practice for psychological, emotional, social, and educational support of patients and their caregivers.
- Health systems implementation and economic research: translating research discoveries into new models of care.
Professor Michelle Haber AM, Children’s Cancer Institute’s Executive Director, explains the power of paediatric precision medicine.
Science Meets Healthcare Symposia 2023 – The Inaugural Joint Conference on Gene Therapy
The recent Science Meets Healthcare Symposia provided an excellent opportunity for the powerhouse minds driving innovation across advanced therapeutics – Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network and Children’s Medical Research Institute – to come together and discuss where the future of medicine is headed.
The two-day event featured speakers from across Australia as well as a special guest from the US, Professor Jeff Chamberlain, who is president of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy.
A key contributor to the research advances presented at the event was Luminesce Alliance, which, supported by NSW Health, fund and coordinate paeadatric precision medicine research between the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, the Children’s Cancer Institute, the Children’s Medical Research Institute, the University of NSW, and the University of Sydney.
Luminesce Alliance Executive Director, Anastasia Ioannou, said the event showed that life-changing improvements can be achieved for children with rare genetic conditions when researchers and clinicians are working across multiple organisations and disciplines in the highly collaborative precision medicine environment. “The valuable insights shared demonstrated the value of a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to paediatric precision medicine,” Ms. Ioannou said.
Revolutionising Paediatric Healthcare: Luminesce Alliance’s Impact in Precision Medicine
Luminesce Alliance, in collaboration with our partners, is thrilled to announce the successful completion of the four-year Paediatric Precision Medicine Program 2019-2023, generously funded by the NSW Government. This groundbreaking program was designed to prioritise the early diagnosis and treatment for children with cancer and rare diseases, integrating cutting-edge technologies into personalised clinical care.
The collective efforts of our remarkable partners, dedicated researchers, and skilled clinicians have resulted in several noteworthy achievements, these include:
- The transformation of an initial investment of $24 million into an impressive $294 million in leveraged funds. This achievement highlights our commitment to maximsing resources for the betterment of paediatric healthcare.
- Job creation, with the establishment of over 140 STEM positions, thereby contributing to the growth of a skilled workforce.
- Facilitating the initiation of 20+ clinical trials, showcasing our commitment to advancing medical research and treatment methodologies.
- Our commitment to global collaboration with over 450+ partnerships nationally and internationally. This extensive network has allowed us to share knowledge, resources, and expertise on a global scale, fostering a collaborative approach to paediatric precision medicine.
- The Alliance’s contribution to the scientific community with over 150+ publications and the presentation of findings at 195 global conferences. This dissemination of knowledge ensures that our advancements in paediatric precision medicine are shared widely, contributing to the global discourse and inspiring further innovation.
To find out more about the program refer to our recent Impact Report 2022-2023.