Allergy and immunology at The Children's Hospital at Westmead
Contact details
- Enquiries: (02) 9845 3418 or (02) 9845 3420
- Appointments: (02) 9845 2525
- Urgent cases: (02) 9845 3420 and ask to page consultant
Clinic days: Tuesdays and Friday morning
Clinic: Medical Outpatients Department, Level 2
Immunology Lab: Pathology Department, Level 2
The Department of Allergy and Immunology at The Children's Hospital at Westmead provides consultations, investigation and treatment of patients with allergic, autoimmune, autoinflammatory and immunological disorders.
Consultative services and outpatient clinics are run for allergy and immunology. Inpatient and outpatient allergy challenge clinics are held to investigate problems of food and drug allergy. We also initiate insect venom and aero-allergen immunotherapy when appropriate. The Immunology Laboratory performs tests to investigate allergic and immunological disorders.
Our mission is to provide quality care and to promote translational research concerning children with allergic and immunological disorders.
Clinic
| Clinic Location | Medical Outpatients Department |
| Appointments | Ph: (02) 9845 2525 |
| Consultants |
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| Clinic days | Tuesday morning and afternoon, Friday morning |
| Referrals | The outpatient service is largely tertiary referral. DIRECT GP REFERRALS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED FOR CHILDREN WHO MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
Direct GP referrals for suspected immunodeficiency or autoimmunity must be discussed with the Immunology Fellow or the consultant on-call, prior to the referral being accepted. Direct GP referrals for other allergic diseases not meeting the above criteria (including atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and asthma) are not generally accepted. These children should be referred to a general paediatrician or specialist dermatologist or respiratory paediatrician. Requests for urgent review can also be discussed with the Immunology Fellow or the consultant on-call. An external referral form can be downloaded from the following link |
| Clinic function | Assessment and management of children with immunological disorders, allergy or autoimmunity. |
| Urgent cases | Page the immunology Fellow (6061) or consultant on-call through switchboard. |
Immunology laboratory
The Immunology laboratory is located within the Pathology Department at The Children's Hospital at Westmead. The laboratory performs a variety of tests, concentrating on those of immunocompetence and immunodeficiency, as well as the diagnosis of coeliac disease.
The laboratory can be contacted by phone on (02) 9845 3323 or email andrew.williams1@health.nsw.gov.au.
Tests available
Immunocompetence testing:
- Pneumococcal IgG antibodies
- Haemophilus influenzae B antibodies
- Tetanus antibodies
- Diphtheria antibodies
Autoimmunity:
- Tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies
- Deamidated gliadin IgG antibodies
- Anti-nuclear antibodies
Immunochemistry:
- Immunoglobulins GAM and E
- IgG subclasses
- Anti-streptolysin O titres
- Anti DNAse B antibodies
- Complement C3 and C4
- Serum Amyloid A
Flow-based methods:
- T and B cell subsets
- Oncology immunophenotyping
Methods for detection of specific immunodeficiencies by flow:
- Intracellular Perforin
- Regulatory T-cells (TREG) via CD127 expression
- CD markers for diagnosis of Leucocyte Adhesion Defects
- Markers for diagnosis of Hyper IgM including CD40 and CD40L
- Dihydrorhodamine for Neutrophil defects
- Memory and naïve T and B cell subsets
Gene Sequencing:
- ADA (Adenosine Deaminase)
- AICDA (Activation-induced cytidine deaminase)
- AIRE (autoimmune regulator)
- BIRC4 (XIAP)
- CTLA4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4)
- CYBB (Cytochrome b-245, beta polypeptide, GP91-PHOX)
- DCLRE1C (ARTEMIS)
- DNA Ligase IV
- ELANE (Elastase, neutrophil expressed)
- FAS (TNF receptor superfamily, member 6)
- FOXP3 (Forkhead box P3)
- IFNGR1 (Interferon gamma receptor 1)
- IFNGR2 (Interferon gamma receptor 2)
- IL12B (Interleukin12-Beta)
- IL7R (Interleukin 7 receptor)
- IRAK4 (Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4)
- MVK (Mevalonate Kinase)
- MYD88 (Myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88)
- NFKBIA (Nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in b-cells inhibitor, alpha)
- PIK3CD (hotspots)
- PRF1 (Perforin 1 pore-forming protein)
- RAG1 and RAG2 (Recombination activating gene 1 and 2)
- SH2D1A (SAP)
- STAT1 (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 1)(Coiled-coil and DNA binding domains)
- STAT3 (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3)(DNA binding and SH2 domains)
- STX11 (Syntaxin 11)
- UNC13D (Unc-13 homolog D)
- XIAP (X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis; BIRC4)
Neutrophil function tests (must be booked with laboratory in advance)
- NBT
- Chemiluminescence
- Dihydrorhodamine (DHR)
Research
Our department conducts laboratory and clinical research in childhood immune disorders, such as allergies, primary immune deficiencies and autoimmune diseases.
For more details, please visit our website at Kids Research Institute.
Staff
Head of Department of Allergy and Immunology
- Dr Melanie Wong MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA, PhD
Staff Specialists
- Dr Melanie Wong MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA, PhD
- Professor Dianne Campbell MBBS, FRACP, PhD
- Dr Lara Ford MBBS (Hons), MPH, FAAAAI, FRACP
- Dr Peter Hsu MBBS, FRACP, PhD
- Dr Preeti Joshi MBBS, FRACP, PhD
- Dr John Tan MBBS, FRACP
- Dr Jessica Lai (Locum)
Honorary Consultants
- Dr Miriam Codarini MBBS, FRACP
- Associate Professor Alyson Kakakios MBBS, FRACP, Order of the Australian Medal (OAM)
- Dr Sam Mehr MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA
Fellow in Training
- Dr Chaitanya Bodapati
Dieticians
- Ms. Wendy Birks
- Ms. Alexandria Bartrop