Australia’s first human challenge trials centre opens

Australia’s first clinical trial unit specifically commissioned to conduct human challenge trials, or controlled human infection model (CHIM), Doherty Clinical Trials (DCT) Ltd, was recently opened in Melbourne. This type of research involves purposely infecting participants with a pathogen to study the effects of the infection. At the moment, the comfortable 25-bed facility is located in a repurposed building in East Melbourne. In 2027 it will move to a larger site.