One of the year’s most significant achievements was the launch of the Viral Vector Manufacturing Facility (VVMF), co-located within our Kids Research Westmead facility. We oversaw the transfer of business operations from our former Gene and Cell Manufacturing Facility to the VVMF small scale manufacturing facility. Developed in partnership with the NSW Ministry of Health and Health Infrastructure, the VVMF is the first facility of its kind in the Asia Pacific region. It will significantly advance treatment options for children with genetic diseases, cancers and viral infections, while enhancing our cell and gene therapies capabilities at the Network and across Australia. 

Throughout the year, we have continued to position the Network as a leading clinical trial site in Australia and internationally. This includes activating 50 new clinical trials and maintaining 242 active trials across 26 departments. Our strategic efforts to implement effective trial-enabling services through hospital supporting departments, such as biobanking, medical imaging, pharmacy and more, have streamlined clinical trial operations across the Network.

With the establishment of our Research Quality Department, we prioritise safe, high-quality, and family-centred research, while streamlining governance processes, improving compliance, and strengthening patient and family engagement in research design and feedback. 

Our nationally leading Kids Advanced Therapeutics program was recognised as a finalist in the Health Research category at the 2025 NSW Health Awards. The program continues to push the boundaries of science and technology, delivering new and novel therapies to sick children through innovative, internationally competitive clinical trials. 

We also hosted our Kids Advanced Therapeutics symposium, bringing together leading international experts, healthcare providers, industry leaders, community partners and families to foster lively discussions around the biggest opportunities and challenges in the field. A highlight was the keynote address by Dr Mimi Lee MD, an internationally renowned genetic medicine expert and Chief of Precision Genetic Medicines at American genetic testing company GeneDx, who spoke about the profound impact of translational research on families affected by rare diseases. 

Our diverse and dedicated researchers across both hospitals attracted over $31 million in grant funding. This, together with more than 1,200 publications and 79,000 citations highlights the substantial impact our research community delivers every year. Our dedicated teams also nurture the next generation of researchers, supporting over 250 students and early to mid-career researchers. 

We were honoured to have the support of the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation at major events this year. The inaugural Lunar New Year Celebration raised a record $2.15 million for Kids Research, while the SXSW Sydney Conference showcased some of our dedicated clinician researchers, who are breaking new ground in health science with innovative uses of technology and artificial intelligence. 

Our Kids Research Office has been working behind the scenes to ensure that research is well supported across the Network. This includes our essential Research Ethics and Governance teams, which approved and authorised more than 370 applications, ensuring ethical, safety and quality standards are met. 

Finally, we extend our sincere thanks to our incredible Kids Research community and our partners for their collaboration and dedication throughout the year. You have been central to building our Network into a world-class, research-intensive organisation that is shaping the future of paediatric healthcare in NSW and beyond. 

Lani Attwood, Acting Director, Research