Auckland UniServices Limited, the commercialisation and innovation arm of Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland, and Japan’s Kyushu University have embarked on a ground-breaking partnership to share vaccine research and data, aiming to boost the efficiency of global vaccine studies. UniServices hosts the Global Coordinating Centre of the Global Vaccine Data Network (GVDN), a multinational, investigator-led research network focused on vaccine safety and effectiveness.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the two institutions by Dr Andy Shenk, CEO of Auckland UniServices Limited, and Professor Haruhisa Fukuda of Kyushu University.
Under the MoU, data from Kyushu University’s LIFE and VENUS studies will be integrated into the GVDN, significantly benefitting global vaccine collaboration.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, said: “This agreement is an excellent example of New Zealand demonstrating leadership of a global initiative in research and science.”
Dr Andy Shenk commented on the partnership: “This MoU will facilitate future collaborative projects between the GVDN and Kyushu University, strengthening ties between the two institutions and enhancing research capacity and capabilities at both.”
GVDN co-director Steve Black has welcomed the MoU and the benefits it will bring.
“The GVDN collaboration with the LIFE and VENUS projects will enrich and inform our understanding of vaccines with the goal of maximizing the safety and acceptance of vaccines used in Japan and globally.”
Dr. Haruhisa Fukuda, Associate Professor of the Graduate School of Medical Sciences at Kyushu University, says;
"As an academic who has contributed to the LIFE and VENUS studies, I am proud of the impact that the studies can achieve in Japan. The association with GVDN will contribute significantly towards building a stronger regional APAC (Asia Pacific) and global network of active surveillance sites to increase vaccine confidence."
About the LIFE and VENUS studies
The LIFE Study (Longevity Improvement & Fair Evidence) was launched in 2019 and is a multi-region community-based database project that aims to generate evidence toward extending healthy life expectancy and reducing health disparities in Japan. The LIFE Study currently stores data from 1,420,437 residents of 18 municipalities.
The VENUS Study (Vaccine Effectiveness, Networking, and Universal Safety) was launched in 2021 and is Japan's first healthcare data platform that enables comparative assessments of vaccinated and unvaccinated people in large samples covering all age groups.
About the Global Vaccine Data Network (GVDN)
Established in 2019, the GVDN currently consists of 31 collaborating institutions in 26 countries and is expanding. With data sourced from millions of individuals across six continents, the GVDN collaborates with renowned research institutions, policy makers, and vaccine related organisations to establish a harmonised and evidence-based approach to vaccine safety and effectiveness. The GVDN is supported by the Global Coordinating Centre based at Auckland UniServices Ltd, a not-for-profit company that provides support to researchers and is wholly owned by the University of Auckland. Aiming to gain a comprehensive understanding of vaccine safety and effectiveness profiles, the GVDN strives to create a safer immunisation landscape that empowers decision making for the global community. For further information, visit globalvaccinedatanetwork.org.