GenV Research Project

Peninsula Private Hospital is delighted to be involved in GenV. GenV, short for Generation Victoria, is a statewide research project led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Over 90,000 participants have joined this unique study.

What is GenV?

GenV is a sophisticated research project with a simple goal: a better approach to child and adult health and wellbeing in Victoria. From October 2021 to October 2023, every family having a baby at a Peninsula Private Hospital – and at birthing hospitals across the state – will be offered the chance to participate, no matter their background or location. For the first time ever, this will give us a complete picture of the health and wellbeing of a whole generation, allowing us to unlock discoveries that improve the lives of all families. Find out more about GenV.

Download more information here.

Or visit genv.org.au

Why join GenV?

By taking part in GenV, you will help researchers find better ways to treat, predict and prevent health problems. You can help create a better future for all families – now and tomorrow.

Parents and babies are welcome to join if they are born in Victoria between Oct-2021 and Oct-2023. Families that move to Victoria that had a child during this period are also invited to join. Eligible participants are welcome to join GenV at any time.

If you were missed in-hospital, joining GenV is easy.

What does GenV involve?

Taking part is simple and low burden. A GenV team member visits or contacts you soon after your baby is born, usually in the hospital. GenV asks your consent for your baby to take part, and one or more parents or guardians.

Information about you and your baby is collected on the spot. If you agree, a GenV recruiter collect a saliva swab from inside the cheek of you and your baby’s cheeks, to look more closely at how genetics and biology affect health and wellbeing. Optional stool and breast-milk collections can be taken at home and conveniently mailed via return-post.

As your child grows, GenV stays in touch, and collects brief information about you and your child. Sometimes, services may help GenV with assessments like an extra vision test. GenV also adds information and samples that services already collect. So GenV takes very little of your time.

Who is conducting GenV?

GenV is led from the Melbourne Children’s Campus (Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The Royal Children’s Hospital and University of Melbourne, supported by The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation). It is funded by the Victorian Government and the Paul Ramsay Foundation.

It is supported by:

• Your birthing and local children’s hospitals, including Peninsula Private Hospital
• Victorian universities and research institutes
• Leading experts in Victoria, Australia and around the world
• Local families and communities, who have helped to design GenV

How Gen V could make a difference. An Example.

Sarah gives birth to her daughter, Kate, at a local hospital. A couple of days later she and her partner are approached by a GenV team member and agree to take part. At age four, Kate becomes ill. She is often tired, and not eating or sleeping properly. Her parents take Kate to many different specialists. After months of searching for an answer, Kate is diagnosed with a complex food allergy that needs a special diet.

Researchers using GenV data had been looking at links between food allergies and a broad range of health data. With the complete picture of child health provided by GenV, they find a number of children have a pattern of symptoms like Kate’s.

The researchers shared this knowledge with doctors and other scientists. GenV’s data and samples helped in the discovery of a more precise test for this allergy. With the new test, other families were saved the experience of having a sick child with no diagnosis quickly available.

To find out more please visit genv.org.au