Program Leader: Laureate Professor Paul Foster, The University of Newcastle

Researchers, students and support staff: 128

The HMRI Viruses, Infections/Immunity, Vaccines and Asthma (VIVA) Program brings together clinical, applied, epidemiological and basic science research to investigate clinical health problems in asthma and other airway conditions, infectious diseases, and development of vaccines for the prevention and treatment of disease.

The program is focused on four key areas:

• Viral infections and viral oncolysis
• Infections and immunity
• Vaccine development
• Asthma and airway diseases

Researchers within the VIVA Program collaborate closely with other HMRI research programs. Working with the Pregnancy and Reproduction Program, researchers are looking into asthma in pregnancy and the effects of infections during pregnancy.

Researchers from VIVA and the Information Based Medicine Program are investigating genetic influences in infectious diseases and SIDS. VIVA also interacts with the Information Based Medicine Program for molecular characterisation of genetic programs.

They also work closely with two biotechnology companies based in the Hunter, Virolytics and Hunter Immunology.

Researchers working in respiratory diseases are affiliated with the University of Newcastle Priority Research Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Diseases, and the national Cooperative Research Centre for Asthma and Airways.