A major discovery by Dr Chuck Bailey and his team, published in Cell, has revealed a new entry pathway for adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. A breakthrough that could dramatically reduce treatment doses and improve the safety of gene therapy.

Over the past year, Dr Bailey has secured $3.0M in NHMRC Ideas Grants and advanced this work through AAVec Bio, a Centenary Institute–owned startup developing safer, lower-cost AAV technologies. His team is also pioneering an innovative CAR T cell approach that reprograms immune cells inside the body, with promising applications for pancreatic cancer and mesothelioma.