Airway Disease

Professor Peter Barnes - Head of Section

The Airway Disease Section is the largest section within the Respiratory Division, comprising over 100 researchers, and includes members from Royal Brompton, Charing Cross and Hammersmith Campuses. The research is mainly concerned with asthma (particularly severe disease) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which are amongst the most common chronic diseases in the world and a major and growing health problem in the UK. The research ranges from molecular and cell biology to experimental clinical studies through to clinical trials and health sciences research, with a strong emphasis on the close integration of basic and clinical research and translational research. Research takes advantage of the carefully characterized patients with airway diseases who are cared for in the associated NHS Trust Hospitals, particularly Royal Brompton Hospital.

The airway disease section comprises 6 groups and there is a close interaction between the groups:

• Cell Biology - Dr Duncan Rogers, Dr Louise Donnelly, Dr Graham Sturton: mucus secretion, cell biology, apoptosis, biopharmaceuticals, small airways
• Clinical Research – Dr Omar S Usmani: airway physiology, inhaled drug delivery, small airways, cough, non-invasive markers of airway inflammation
• Experimental Studies – Professor Fan Chung: severe asthma, smooth muscle, airway remodelling, animal models, cough
• Leukocyte Trafficking - Emeritus Professor Tim Williams
• Molecular Cell Biology – Professor Ian Adcock, Dr Kazuhiro Ito, Dr Paul Kirkham: gene regulation, transcription, chromatin remodelling, steroid action and resistance
• Respiratory Paediatrics – Professor Andrew Bush, Dr Donald Payne: infant wheeze, asthma inflammation, biomarkers
• Respiratory Health Service Research – Professor Martyn Partridge: patient education, guidelines, delivery of care

Members of the Airway Disease Section are predominantly involved in the Asthma & Allergy and COPD Research Interests Groups. The Section is very productive with over 100 publications in peer-review journals each year.