Murdoch Children's Research Institute takes on mission to conquer children's heart disease

NEW YORK - The Murdoch Children's Research Institute has announced a new partnership with a mission to target children's heart disease.

The cooperative effort unites researchers at the Murdoch Institute in Melbourne, Australia and those at the Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco. It was unveiled Wednesday at the American Australian Association Benefit Dinner in New York City.

The joint research program will explore the latest cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to revolutionize how to diagnose and treat childhood heart disease.

Professor Porello, Director of Stem Cell Medicine and Head of the Heart Regeneration group at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), spoke with our sister station in New York this week to explain how the project will make a real difference to young heart patients and their families.

"I think where we're going with this is that we'll be able to obtain a genetic diagnosis before birth so we can understand what is likely causing that child's disease," Porello said. "And then come in with a very targeted intervention early on before the disease manifests and before it progresses to heart failure, and therefore avoiding the need for transplant."

Globally, 260,000 children die from heart disease every year. In the U.S., 40,000 babies are born with a heart defect annually - or one child every 15 minutes.

The Murdoch Children's Research Institute is named after the Murdoch family, which own Fox Corporation and FOX 5 DC.