Nicholas Wood is a General Paediatrician, Senior Staff Specialist and Associate Director, Clinical Research and Services at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS), where he heads the Clinical Research, AusVaxSafety and Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance (PAEDS) programs. Nick is a Professor in the Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health at the University of Sydney. He leads the NSW Immunisation Specialist Service. He is a senior investigator on the Primary Health Network Immunisation Support Program. Nick is interested in maternal and neonatal immunisation, as well as research into vaccine safety, including genetics and long-term outcomes of adverse events following immunisation

In this episode, Professor Wood delves into the comprehensive journey of vaccine development, from initial stages of identifying the target virus or bacteria to extensive pre-clinical and clinical trials. He explains the approval process through regulatory body, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), and the importance of post-market safety monitoring systems. The discussion also addresses public concerns, including vaccine hesitancy and vaccine development during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the robust safety measures in place to ensure public health.

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Host Steph O'Connell is a public health advocate who became a public voice for public awareness about preventable diseases and access to vaccines when her daughter, Lily, narrowly survived meningococcal W strain in 2017. Nine months later her sister, Grace, donated a kidney to help restore Lily’s life. Steph’s advocacy became a collaboration in 2018 with Meningococcal Australia and resulted in Meningococcal vaccination campaigns thanks to the Australian Government Department of Health. Lily’s story quickly resonated with audiences and became a national and international appeal for action. Today Steph continues to advocate through her series Matter of Vax, as she takes a look at topical issues affecting Australian immunisation on video and podcast. The series is available thanks to a collaboration with Immunisation Foundation of Australia and educational grant from GSK Australia. Matter of Vax is produced by Ampel at Myrtle & Pine Studios.