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Home\Blog\Media centre\MCRI launches one of the world’s largest-ever research projects – GenV – at additional hospitals in Geelong Home MCRI launches one of the world’s largest-ever research projects – GenV – at additional hospitals in Geelong MCRI launches one of the world’s largest-ever research projects – GenV – at additional hospitals in Geelong 13 December 2021 News at a Glance: The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) has begun inviting Victorian parents and their newborns to take part in its innovative Generation Victoria (GenV) project at Epworth Geelong and St John of God Geelong Hospital. GenV is a sophisticated research project with a simple goal: a better approach to child and adult health and wellbeing in Victoria. Every family with a newborn baby will be able to join up over a two-year period, no matter where they live. The first project of its kind in Australia, GenV will give Victoria’s research community access to a more complete picture of the health and wellbeing of a generation, providing the insight and information needed across some of the most complex problems faced by families. MCRI’s innovative GenV research project has commenced at Epworth Geelong and St John of God Geelong Hospital, joining 52 other maternity hospitals across Victoria. GenV is one of the world’s largest-ever birth and parent cohort studies. The opt-in project will follow babies and their parents to help solve problems like asthma, food allergies, obesity and mental illness – mostly using data that is already routinely collected. Around 100 new jobs will be created in clinical settings across the state over the life of the GenV project. GenV is entering an important phase as it scales up to be available to all newborns and their parents across Victoria. Every family with a newborn baby will be able to join up over a two-year period, no matter where they live. Epworth Geelong and St John of God Geelong Hospital joins other birthing hospitals across Victoria, including at Barwon Health’s University Hospital in Geelong, in offering local families the opportunity to take part in GenV. Since GenV launched at Barwon Health in May this year, more than 1,400 local participants (babies and parents) from Geelong and surrounds have joined GenV. Professor Melissa Wake, GenV Scientific Director and a paediatrician of 30 years, said that by 2035, GenV’s vision is to have helped create a happier and healthier future for many children and parents. “By involving children and families in this once-in-a-generation initiative, GenV can help solve pressing problems like asthma, food allergies, obesity, and mental illness. “In addition, we are seeking to address the inequities that face so many children and families across Victoria. Because GenV will be in every community, it may be especially helpful to the most vulnerable individuals and communities in our state,” she said. “Since launching our maternity services four years ago, Epworth Geelong has seen a steady increase in the number of births at our hospital each year. Supporting these families to participate in the GenV study at Epworth Geelong will help us to learn more about the health and development needs of children and their parents, so we can shape and refine future services to improve the health and wellbeing of families in the region,” said Leonie Lloyd, Executive General Manager of Epworth Geelong. Professor Wake said that large whole-of-state research projects such as GenV could speed up answers to the major issues facing children and adults, today and for their futures. “GenV truly is a collaborative study and a partnership of many. We are profoundly grateful to the team at Epworth Geelong for partnering with us,” she said. “Over the next two years, around 150,000 children born in Victoria and their parents will have the opportunity to participate in the project. Put simply, by signing up to be a part of the GenV generation, parents will help to create a healthier future for all children and their families,” she said. GenV is led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, is supported by The Royal Children’s Hospital and University of Melbourne and is funded by the Paul Ramsay Foundation (PRF), the Victorian Government and the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation. Visit the GenV website for more information. **Ends** Media Contact Bridie Byrne MCRI communications specialist +61 457 365 848 bridie.byrne@mcri.edu.au Paul Bentley Media Manager Epworth HealthCare +61 407 154 162 paul.bentley@epworth.org.au About MCRI The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) is the largest child health research institute in Australia committed to making discoveries and developing treatments to improve child and adolescent health in Australia and around the world. MCRI pioneers new treatments, trials better vaccines and improves ways of diagnosing and helping sick babies, children and adolescents. MCRI is one of the only research institutes in Australia to offer genetic testing to find answers for families of children with previously undiagnosed conditions. Article by GenV Team Share this article: