The Doherty Institute: Australia's Pandemic Heroes
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, a city of over five million people fell silent. Offices closed, trams ran almost empty, and only essential workers moved through the streets. It was a strange and uncertain time, but at the heart of this crisis response was a team of scientists at the Doherty Institute, led by Dr. Catton.
This team achieved a critical early breakthrough: they were the first outside China to isolate and grow the COVID-19 virus in the lab, just weeks after the initial cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan. This achievement was a big deal, as it meant the world could start developing tests, vaccines, and treatments.
Dr. Catton's team's pivotal decision to share the cultivated virus internationally thrust them into the international spotlight. They held a big press conference, and while Dr. Catton jokes that he would have relished it, the reality was that this was no fleeting moment of attention.
The Doherty Institute, established in 2014 and named after Nobel Prize-winner Professor Peter Doherty, brought together leading infectious disease and immunology expertise under one roof. This model proved its worth during the pandemic, as the institute moved fast to culture the virus, ship it to labs worldwide, develop a simple diagnostic test, and support governments in introducing testing across the country.
The Microbiological Diagnostic Unit used its 'AusTrakka' platform to share genomic data in real-time, helping to trace outbreaks and track emerging variants. Over the next 12 months, the Doherty's work expanded to encompass vaccine trials, research into airborne transmission, and frontline clinical care, all before playing a vital role in Australia's vaccine roll-out in 2021 through their work on mathematical modeling.
The Doherty Institute's role in widespread testing and a model to inform high vaccine uptake are recognized as unique strengths in Australia's response that helped save thousands of lives. However, the fragility of global supply chains was also exposed, as the institute had to rely on offshore manufacturing for testing reagents, swabs, and face masks.
The institute's preparedness for the unknown, the next 'Pathogen X', is supported by significant philanthropic investment. A $250 million gift from retired businessman Geoffrey Cumming and $75 million from the Victorian government led to the establishment of the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics in 2022. This center aims to accelerate the development of antiviral treatments.
Additionally, a $3 million donation from TikTok, alongside support from the Paul Ramsay Foundation, the University of Melbourne, and the Victorian Government, helped establish Doherty Clinical Trials Ltd. This facility specializes in healthy volunteer human infection challenge studies, including respiratory pathogens like influenza.
Professor Lewin, the director of the Doherty Institute, is confident that the team's deep experience, knowledge, and infrastructure will stand them in good stead for whatever comes next. She believes in science and the power of global collaboration, and with the institute's amazing people and global network of collaborators, they are ready to face the challenges of Pathogen X.
The Doherty Institute's story is a testament to the power of preparedness,
