Supporters rally: helping Burnet unlock the mysteries of bat immunity

The work of Professor Gilda Tachedjian and Dr Joshua Hayward is driven by the cryptic and compelling insight that the world’s bats carry many lethal viruses – yet bats themselves very rarely get sick.

“Bats are exceptional animals and one of their most infamous traits is their role as the hosts of numerous new and emerging viruses that are deadly when transmitted to humans, such as the Ebola virus and the SARS-coronaviruses,” said Josh.

Gilda, Josh and their research colleagues are on a mission to unlock the secrets of the complex immune systems that keep bats healthy – in the belief it may lead to breakthroughs in efforts to keep the public safe from infectious diseases.

The researchers knew they needed the support of donors to fund this ground-breaking work on bat virology and immunology – so earlier this year, they put out a call for help. Supporters immediately rallied around the project, quickly reaching the funding target, and contributing over $500,000 in donations large and small, to the immense gratitude of Gilda and Josh.

Already, the team has detected and explained some unique changes in the natural immune defences of bats, and discovered that their DNA carries the traces of viral infections experienced by ancestral populations, possibly millions of years ago. In partnership with colleagues from the CSIRO, they have also discovered a new bat retrovirus that may pose a significant risk to humans.

Thankfully, we have a community of supporters ready to back Gilda and Josh as they continue to search for ways to boost human immune responses, while keeping us safe from new threats.

The reward is a body of work that has not only informed the development of a powerful, vaccine platform for COVID-19 and other coronaviruses with pandemic potential, but which also promises to deliver much-needed breakthroughs in the ongoing quest for highly effective malaria and hepatitis C vaccines.

It is an example of how our donors continue to come together with our outstanding researchers in a collective effort to make the world a safer, fairer place for all. Together, we are securing the future health of families and communities, here at home and across the globe.

Thank you!