Australia’s first dedicated children’s immunotherapy centre will investigate treatments to not only increase the survival of kids with cancer, but to also improve their ongoing quality of life.

Named in honour of co-inventor of cancer prevention vaccine Gardasil, the Ian Frazer Centre for Children’s Immunotherapy Research is being led by The University of Queensland in collaboration with the Children’s Hospital Foundation, Children’s Health Queensland and QIMR Berghofer.

Under the guidance of UQ’s Professor Ian Frazer, a pioneering cancer researcher and immunotherapy expert, the centre will investigate translating current successful adult treatments into paediatric care.

The Centre has been established through the generosity of the Children’s Hospital Foundation, which will provide $7.5 million in support for five years.

After that time, the Centre will be sustained in part by investment returns from endowed royalties UQ’s Faculty of Medicine receives from the Gardasil vaccine.

Cancer kills more children than any other disease in Australia with about three children and adolescents in Australia dying from cancer each week.