Glycomics Week celebrates Institute’s major translational outcomes

Professor Mark von Itzstein.

The Institute forGlycomics has been delivering major translational outcomes from its research in recent months, which will be celebrated during Glycomics Week.

Glycomics Week highlights the Institute’s growing significant research successes.

The Institute recently announced partnerships with Chinese pharmaceutical,Olymvax Biopharmaceuticals Inc., for a new Strep A vaccine that has the enormous potential to help millions, and Melbourne-based company Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Limitedfor a potential new therapeutic treatment inthe global battle against mosquito-borne alphavirus infections, including the debilitating Ross River Virus (RRV) and Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV).

Institute DirectorProfessor Mark von Itzsteinsaid there had been a number of major advances that were resulting in real outcomes.

“What’s happened over the past several months has been major translational activity and partnering with industry as well,” he said.

Human clinical trials

“This is real translational work that’s stepping up to the plate and carrying projects further in human clinical trials, which is what the Institute is all about.”

The Institute established its annual Glycomics Week during its10th anniversary in 2010. It is celebrated annually in October and the aims of the event-filled week are to:

  • celebrate the Institute’s growing significant research successes, and the impact this research has in the world of infectious disease, cancer, vaccine and drug discovery
  • acknowledge the invaluable assistance from the Institute’s local, national and international friends, donors and supporters
  • continue to develop new engagements with local schools, companies and the community

Dr Rita Gerardy-Schahn, Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the Institute for Cellular Chemistry in the Hannover Medical School, Germany, will present the annual Peter Gallagher Memorial Glycomics Public Lecture titled Sweet tooth’ Viruses as Cancer Treatments onTuesday 11 October 2016at 5:30pm. The cost is free, but RSVPs are essential. More details about the lecture are available here.