Location: Parkville, Victoria, Australia

COE since 2018

Website: https://www.mcri.edu.au/research/research-areas/infection-immunity-and-global-health/allergy-immunology  / https://www.rch.org.au/allergy/ 

Mission Statement: TTo improve the lives of children and families affected by allergic and immune disorders through integrated excellence in clinical care, discovery science, and translational research - advancing prevention, achieving disease-modifying treatments, and delivering lasting cures.

About the Center: The Allergy Immunology Centre of Excellence at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne (RCH) is an internationally recognised program that brings together world-leading research, clinical care, and translation to address the growing global burden of allergic and immune diseases in children. Led by Professor Mimi Tang, the Centre integrates laboratory science, clinical trials, population health research, and real-world implementation within a single, highly collaborative ecosystem. This close alignment between MCRI and RCH enables rapid translation of scientific discovery into clinical practice and policy, ensuring that advances directly benefit patients and families.

The Centre’s research program focuses on understanding the mechanisms underlying allergic disease and immune tolerance, identifying early-life risk factors, and developing innovative strategies for prevention and treatment. Major contributions include landmark population-based studies defining the true prevalence and natural history of food allergy, and longitudinal cohort studies that have shaped global understanding of allergy development. A central priority is the development of disease-modifying therapies, particularly immunotherapy approaches designed not only to desensitise but to induce sustained remission of food allergy.

The Centre conducts high-quality, multi-centre randomised controlled trials evaluating novel interventions, alongside mechanistic studies that define the immunological pathways associated with treatment response and long-term tolerance. The clinical program at RCH provides comprehensive, evidence-based care for children with allergic and immune disorders, including food allergy, asthma, eczema, drug and insect allergy, and immunodeficiency. Services include advanced diagnostic testing, supervised food and drug challenges, and delivery of immunotherapies, supported by multidisciplinary teams and strong links to community and primary care. Education and capacity-building are core to the Centre’s mission. The program plays a key role in training the next generation of clinician-scientists, educating healthcare professionals, and partnering with patients, families, and advocacy organisations to improve awareness and care. It also contributes to national and international guidelines, health policy, and implementation strategies that improve safety, access, and outcomes at scale.

Through strong national and global collaborations, the Centre contributes to major research networks, clinical trials, and policy initiatives aimed at reducing the burden of allergic disease worldwide. Its work spans discovery to implementation, ensuring that advances are not only scientifically robust but also scalable, cost-effective, and aligned with patient priorities.