Soak up fresh news in this summer edition
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This newsletter now available in English, Arabic (العربية), Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ), Dari (دری), Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ), Simplified Chinese (中文普通话), Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)! View GenV News on our website.
Message from our Scientific Director
With summer here and the year ending, thank you for being part of GenV. Some families have been with us for five years, and others are brand new. Every family matters to us.
This is where we share our findings, news and progress with you.
GenV is taking on big questions. What would it take for more children to thrive, and for adults to stay healthier for longer? How can we improve mental health? What helps people live their best life? How can we make this the norm for every family? And which changes can work for everyone, in ways that are fair and affordable? These questions guide GenV, and your families sit at the heart of our work.
Before you read on, here are some quick updates:
- Want more detail about GenV? Our new Protocol explains our design and plan. People around the world are watching GenV grow.
- A big milestone in July 2026: Researchers can apply to study GenV data from pregnancy to age 2. We can’t wait to hear their ideas.
- Early learning shapes lifelong health. Kinder and childcare programs make a huge difference – but which parts matter most? GenV can help. Read more in our Medical Journal of Australia blog.
Let me also introduce our GenV mascot, GeneVieve. She has visited our teams across the state and now appears in our messages – always wearing her GenV onesie, of course! Keep an eye out for her!
Thank you again for being part of GenV. We look forward to growing and learning with you next year.
With best wishes for the year ahead,
Professor Melissa Wake
GenV Scientific Director
Packaged foods for babies and toddlers: What you told us...
Food matters for health – especially for babies and toddlers. But parents can’t always trust the information on packaged toddler foods. There are no rules about how much sugar or salt they can contain, and most don’t meet nutrition guidelines. This is where GenV families are making a real difference.
We ran a special survey about the foods young children eat – something only GenV could do at this speed and scale.
Over 7,000 parents told us:
- 90% of GenV kids have tried packaged foods made for babies and toddlers, like snacks or squeeze pouches.
- Most toddlers tried these foods at about 8 months, and over 80% ate them in the past month.
- 97% of parents said there should be rules, so packaging doesn’t make these foods look healthier than they are.
Governments across Australian and New Zealand are now looking at rules for what these foods can contain and what the packets can say. Your answers are helping shape these decisions.
Turning leftovers into scientific discovery
Did you know that GenV has saved over 50,000 samples from being thrown out?
During pregnancy, parents may have had blood or other tests to check the health of themselves and their child.
After these tests are done, the leftover samples are eventually thrown out.
But GenV asked the labs to store them for longer.
We have now matched over 50,000 of these samples to GenV parents. Approved researchers will be able to study these samples with other GenV data. This can help them learn more about health during pregnancy and after birth.
We hope this will lead to new scientific discoveries in the future.
Stool is so cool!
From tiny poo samples to big discoveries.
This stool collection has finished. We are so grateful to all the families taking part. We received over 7,000 newborn kits in 2023. Now, 3,600 families have also given a
2-year-old kit – nearly 10,000 samples all up!
Researchers can now study how gut microbes change during the first two years and how they help children grow, stay healthy, and develop strong bodies and minds.
Thank you for making this research possible.
What’s next? We’ve applied for funding to start making these discoveries!
Celebrating you!
We love hearing from GenV families! We met GenV mum Tricia, who shared what GenV means to her family…
“What an amazing gift to the world! Because really, that’s what it is. It’s a gift to the world and it doesn’t take much from our part to be a part of it”
Your child's voice in action! New GenV and Me language tasks
Good language skills matter. They help children learn, make friends and take part in daily life. But around the world, there is a big research gap. Language is complex, and no one has been able to measure it at the huge scale needed – until now.
Our new language games will be in GenV and Me for 4-year-olds. They will pop up on screen – like a picture for your child to describe. Your device will record what they say.
These games will help to understand how language grows. They could also help spot children who may need extra help – before they start school.
Thank you to all the families who helped us test these games. We hope all GenV kids enjoy them!
Is your child turning 3 or 4 soon?
Tip! Have your child's Green Book handy when answering the 3- and 4-year-old GenV and Me surveys as we ask about your child's growth again.
GenV's Kids Corner is coming!
We’re excited to create a special space on our website for children!
GenV Kids Corner will have fun activities, starting with GenV colouring pages for your child to enjoy. It’s a place to play, explore, and discover – and share the fun with your family!
A fresh new look for our 5th birthday e-Card!
Five is a big milestone, so we’ve made our e-Card extra creative. We hope it brings smiles and makes celebrating this special day even more joyful for your family!
Seasons Greetings from GenV
Happy holidays and a bright New Year from all of us at GenV! Wishing your family safe, sunny days full of giggles and fun.
The GenV office will be closed from Friday 19th December 2025 to Monday 5th January 2026. If you contact us over the break, we will get back to you as soon as possible upon our return.
Help us shape GenV
Join our Participant Advisory Panel here! Registration is now available in English, Arabic, Burmese, Dari, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, and Vietnamese.
Have questions or feedback?
Changed your contact details? Please reach out to the GenV team at:
Phone: 1800 GEN VVV (1800 436 888)
Email: genv@mcri.edu.au
Website: www.genv.org.au
Keep up with GenV via our social media:
GenV is led from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), supported by The Royal Children’s Hospital and The University of Melbourne, and funded by the Paul Ramsay Foundation, the Victorian Government, The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation, the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Medical Research Future Fund.
