Valerie Verhasselt

Professor Valerie Verhasselt, MD, PhD, is Director of the Larsson-Rosenquist Centre for Immunology and Breastfeeding at the University of Western Australia (UWA) and the Telethon Kids Institute (TKI). With over 20 years of translational research experience, her work focuses on breastfeeding's impact on immune development and child health, revolutionizing allergy prevention through a landmark Nature Medicine 2008 study.

• UWA Medical School
• Telethon Kids Institute

Research Highlights:

• Landmark malaria prevention via breast milk antigen transfer
• Lead investigator in 1000-child birth cohort studies
• Co-author of European Academy of Allergy guidelines

Grants & Collaborations:

• Larsson Rosenquist Foundation (ongoing)
• Open Philanthropy's $12M Fuel for Survival project (2025-2029)
• Channel 7 Telethon Trust & WA Department of Health funding

Scientific Recognition:

• 2012 Prix de l'Academie Nationale de Medecine
• 2008 Prix de l'Academie des Sciences

Academic Contributions:

• Coordinates UWA's "Breastfeeding - A Foundation for Human Health" course
• Over 80 publications in top journals (Nature Medicine, JAMA Pediatrics, Lancet Infectious Disease)
• 40+ invited lectures in past 3 years