Impact Of Exposure To Air Pollutants During The Prenatal Period On Lung Function In Infancy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$635,093.00
Summary
The lungs undergo rapid development both before birth and in the early years of life and therefore may be susceptible to the impacts of exposure to environmental pollutants. Poor lung function in early childhood may increase the risk for respiratory disease in later life. This study will investigate if exposure to air pollution, indoors and outdoors, before birth significantly affects lung function and the respiratory health of young children.
Developing Lung Function Reference Ranges In Aboriginal Australians
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$875,382.00
Summary
Lung function in Aboriginal Australians may be up to 30% lower than that of the Caucasian population. Comparing a patient’s lung function result to normal is critical to help diagnose and manage lung diseases. There are no lung function normal ranges for Aboriginal Australians. Our study will measure lung function in healthy Aboriginal children and adults and develop Aboriginal specific reference values and thus help ensure the highest level of clinical care for Aboriginal patients.
Postviral Wheezing In Childhood: Disregulation Of Airway Tone?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$577,040.00
Summary
Asthma is a very common childhood condition that is becoming increasingly more common. Wheezing is common in infants and young children following viral infections and is often thought of as the first manifestation of asthma. However, many children and infants who wheeze with viral infections appear to grow out of asthma in their teenage years. Asthma that persists into adult life is usually associated with allergies to common environmental allergens, such as house dust mite and grass pollens. Ho ....Asthma is a very common childhood condition that is becoming increasingly more common. Wheezing is common in infants and young children following viral infections and is often thought of as the first manifestation of asthma. However, many children and infants who wheeze with viral infections appear to grow out of asthma in their teenage years. Asthma that persists into adult life is usually associated with allergies to common environmental allergens, such as house dust mite and grass pollens. However, many infants who wheeze with viral infections, especially in the first year of life, do not develop allergies in later life, raising the possibility that they did not have the same type of asthma as those whose symptoms persist. This project will study the effects of viral infections on lung function to determine whether particular types of virus can have detrimental effects of lung function lasting for years. We will also examine whether the age at which the infection occurs and the severity of the infection influence the long-term outcome. The project involves studying infants during the recovery phase of respiratory viral infections, older children years after documented infections and experimental animal models that have been infected under controlled conditions. By determining whether respiratory viral infections can have long-term effects on lung function that can mimic asthma, we will advance our understanding of how asthma develops. In addition, specific treatment and preventative strategies could then be developed to prevent these long-term abnormalities, instead of relying on asthma medication (especially inhaled corticosteroids) as is the current practice. Preventative strategies could include encouraging the development of specific vaccines.Read moreRead less
The health effects of electronic cigarette use are virtually unknown. They have only recently been introduced into widespread use, and as such their effects on human health will not be known for many years. We will use our expertise in exposure models and health outcome measurement to provide timely hard-data on their potential to impact health – data that are urgently required to guide policy makers in this area.
Evolution Of Airway Function And Inflammation In Early Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$494,447.00
Summary
Our goal is to evaluate if lung function can identify the onset of early lung disease in infants with cystic fibrosis (CF). We aim to evaluate: - Changes in lung function in infants with CF. - Associations between lung function and lung inflammation and infection. - Links between infant lung function and disease severity at 2 years of age. The long term aims are to determine how useful lung function will be in trials of novel treatments for the early treatment of CF.
Mechanisms Underlying Acute Changes In Lung Function And Airway Responsiveness Following Respiratory Viral Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$444,878.00
Summary
This study will investigate the mechanisms responsible for the increased airway responsiveness seen during respiratory viral infections to the common viruses of influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Respiratory viral infections alter lung function and increase airway responsiveness in man. In addition, respiratory viral infections early in life are a risk factor for the subsequent development of asthma. The mechanisms responsible for this are unknown. Both the infecting virus an ....This study will investigate the mechanisms responsible for the increased airway responsiveness seen during respiratory viral infections to the common viruses of influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Respiratory viral infections alter lung function and increase airway responsiveness in man. In addition, respiratory viral infections early in life are a risk factor for the subsequent development of asthma. The mechanisms responsible for this are unknown. Both the infecting virus and host factors, such as age of infection, gender and genetic predisposition, are likely to be important. OUTCOMES and SIGNIFICANCE: These studies will provide a comprehensive assessment of the effects of acute viral respiratory infections on lung function and airway responsiveness using cutting edge techniques developed in our labs. The results will provide new insights into how these infections cause lung disease and may provide clues for new approaches to prevent the adverse effects of these common respiratory viral infections.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms Of Apnea And Periodic Breathing In The Newborn.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$381,100.00
Summary
Breathing pauses referred to as apnea or periodic breathing occur frequently in the preterm infant, and often require intensive clinical vigilance to ensure survival. And yet the mechanisms that produce and terminate apnea are not understood. This study will investigate the mechanisms underlying infantile apnea and periodic breathing and the effectiveness of drugs and techniques currently used to control apnea by using a combination of infant animal model studies, mathematical modelling studies ....Breathing pauses referred to as apnea or periodic breathing occur frequently in the preterm infant, and often require intensive clinical vigilance to ensure survival. And yet the mechanisms that produce and terminate apnea are not understood. This study will investigate the mechanisms underlying infantile apnea and periodic breathing and the effectiveness of drugs and techniques currently used to control apnea by using a combination of infant animal model studies, mathematical modelling studies and studies in human preterm infants to improve our understanding of breathing control in infancy.Read moreRead less
Early Life Arsenic Exposure Alters Lung Development And Inflammatory Responses To Virus And Cigarette Smoke
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$455,380.00
Summary
The contamination of drinking water sources with arsenic is a global health issue affecting millions. While arsenic is a well known cancer causing agent, recent evidence suggests that early life arsenic exposure via drinking water increases the risk of obstructive lung disease in later life. This project aims to examine how the timing and dose of arsenic exposure influences lung development and the response to respiratory insults including viral infection and cigarette smoke.
Is Asthma In The Elderly A Disease Of The Peripheral Airways?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$502,437.00
Summary
Elderly asthmatics have poorer clinical outcomes compared with younger asthmatics. The reasons for this are unclear but may involve age-related changes in the disease itself. In this project we aim to show that asthma in the elderly is dominated by abnormalities of very small peripheral airways, in contrast to younger patients where the abnormalities occur in larger airways. The results will provide the basis for new and better targeted treatment strategies for asthma in the elderly.
Characterisation Of A Novel Signaling Network That Translates Early-life Respiratory Infection Into Chronic Lung Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$316,449.00
Summary
Bacterial and viral respiratory infections in early-life cause permanent damage to the lungs and reduce lung function in later life. They may also increase the risk of developing asthma and emphysema. These are substantial health problems in Australia. My project aims to identify how infections cause these effects. This will enable me to identify new therapeutic targets and develop new therapies for the prevention of chronic lung diseases.