Current Covid-19 Updates
From the hardworking frontline of healthcare workers at Gold Coast University Hospital supporting COVID-19 patients and those dedicated staff at GCUH and Gold Coast Private Hospital providing continuing care for our community; to our innovative researchers at Griffith University working towards vaccines or treatments for the novel corona virus, and the energetic team at COHORT helping SME’s to survive the crisis and thrive on the other side; the remarkable people of our Precinct are playing their part to get us through this pandemic.
We salute you, and extend our support to all the students, staff and businesses who’ve been so affected by disruptions caused by COVID-19.
We will get through this together.
Scholarships on offer to help Year 12 students during the pandemic
High achieving high school students keen to study at Griffith University in 2021 will be eligible for 80 new Sir Samuel Griffith scholarships worth up to $24,000 each in an initiative that it’s hoped will assist Year 12 students under pressure from a disrupted final year of study in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Griffith University Anatomy students
Congratulations Professor Michael Good on being appointed to National COVID-19 Committee
Professor Michael Good, AO
Principal Research Leader, Professor Michael F. Good AO heads the Laboratory of Vaccines for the Developing World, Institute for Glycomics at Griffith University on the Gold Coast.
He is past Chairman of the National Health and Medical Research Council, Director of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research and President of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI) and has now been appointed to the National COVID-19 Health and Research Advisory Committee, chaired by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer.
“I am delighted to be part of a Committee that is providing rapid and expert advice to the Chief Medical Officer in relation to public health risks and health management issues concerning COVID-19”.
Professor Good and his team have a whole-parasite Malaria vaccine in human clinical trials, along with a nasal-delivery vaccine for group A streptococcus entering trials in partnership with Chinese biopharma Olymvax Biopharmaceuticals.
In 2008 Professor Good was awarded an Order of Australia for his services to medical research; he received the Eureka Prize for Leadership in 2009; and was a recipient of the Queensland Greats Awards in 2010. Professor Good was elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (FAHMS) in 2015.
We’re indeed in ‘good hands’ in this pandemic.
Meet our COVID-19 researchers
Precision engineering vaccines
Professor Bernd Rehm, of Griffith University's Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers has developed a technology to rapidly synthetically engineer vaccines and grow them in cell factories. He and his team are moving to animal trials, partnering with Brisbane-based company Luina Bio to deliver the vaccine candidates.
Testing drugs on respiratory models
Griffith University's Professor Mark von Itzstein AO, Director of the Institute for Glycomics and his team are using advanced ex vivo (outside the body) human respiratory system models to evaluate existing drugs, and combinations, as drug candidates to prevent or treat COVID-19.
Collaborative approach to vaccine development
With success in developing vaccine candidates for malaria and streptococcus, the Institute for Glycomics' Professor Michael Good AO and his research team are working closely with fellow Institute members and colleagues at the Gold Coast University Hospital and China’s Olymvax Biopharmaceuticals Inc.
India collaboration for live attenuated vaccine
Menzies Health Institute Queensland researcher Professor Suresh Mahalingam has joined forces with scientists from Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), a leading vaccines manufacturing company based in Hyderabad, towards a vaccine that will mimic infection, but not cause disease, and provide long-lasting immunity.
From HIV to COVID-19
With a background of more than two decades in HIV research, Professor Johnson Mak and his research team want to establish a rapid assay system to evaluate potential drug and vaccine candidates. They hope to harness artificial intelligence and structural biology to fast track the development of novel antiviral treatments.
Improving PPE design with 3D printing
Griffith’s expertise and 3D printers are being used to help manufacture essential protective equipment, while the expertise of researchers and students at the Advanced Design and Prototyping Technologies Institute (ADaPT) promises custom PPE with improved fit and functionality.
COHORT comes to the rescue of struggling SME's
Free webinars and business health checks
With COVID-19 limitations affecting physical co-working spaces, COHORT hasn’t missed a beat in innovating to support its members and SME’s all over the Gold Coast.
Having just launched it’s 2020 Mentors Program when the coronavirus crisis hit Australia, COHORT has gone virtual to deliver mentoring, expert advice and individual business health checks to help businesses navigate remote working, contingency planning and more to survive and thrive through the economic shock.
As at the end of April, 214 people had registered for 5 business webinars (replays here), while COHORT was on the organising committee for the national event, Techstars Global Online Startup Weekend Australia Covid-19, held on April 24-26, which attracted over 200 participants and 45 mentors and saw 10 ideas developed and pitched.
With physical events unable to proceed, Economic Development Queensland has supported the expansion of COHORT digital services, including digital video promotions and workshops, a podcast series, webinars and live streaming of major events.
GCHKP company wins $1.5 million grant to help in COVID-19 care
The Queensland Government has announced $1.5 million in Advance Queensland funding to Datarwe for their Precision Medicine Data Platform that gathers data from multiple devices to support doctors and nurses make informed decisions on how to care for patients.
The platform will enable clinicians and medical researchers to more rapidly collaborate in the development of next generation artificial intelligence (AI) clinical diagnostic tools and technologies; providing support to make real-time decisions in a fast-moving environment.
Initially focussed on the close monitoring of patients at the Gold Coast University Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the company plans to expand the platform across 250 hospitals across the Asia-Pacific region.