Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Professor Paul Cullinan, Head of Group
The Occupational and Environmental Medicine group researches occupational and environmental lung diseases of all types; and runs a clinical service for employees and patients from all parts of the UK. Our particular interests lie in asthma, COPD and fibrotic lung diseases that are caused or worsened by exposures encountered in the workplace or other environments.
Much of our work is with occupational causes of asthma and in particular those aspects which are modifiable and lend themselves to primary preventive strategies. Thus we are concerned with the risks relating to allergen and irritant exposures and how these may interact with factors reflecting individual susceptibility; one aspect of this work concerns the potential for ‘high dose tolerance’ and its mechanisms. Others include more ‘distal’ disease determinants such as employee turnover and market positioning.
We have transferred many of these interests to the study of asthma and atopy in early childhood; here our interests lie in the relationships between allergen exposure and inherited traits, the mechanisms of the ‘birth order’ effect, and what is responsible for the protective role of a rural childhood.
Storage containers for methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, a potent workplace respiratory sensitising agent
Our work has a strong epidemiological focus. With regard to occupation in the population burden of lung disease, we're measuring the attributable risks for asthma and COPD in the UK and exploring the occupational determinants of benign pleural plaques.
Lung diseases may have an important impact on employability and work performance. We are interested in the employment prospects of persons with asthma; and with an ever ageing population, in the potential impact of chronic cardio-respiratory disease on employment towards the end of working life.
We are also studying the risks of non-amphibole asbestos types in mesothelioma; the environmental determinants of interstitial lung disease; the adverse respiratory impacts of welding; and the role of silica in the induction of COPD.
Laboratory service
Beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test
We run one of the very few laboratories (ISO 9001:2008 BSI-accredited) in Europe that specialises in occupational and environmental allergen testing. Our specialist expertise enables us to measure specific IgE and IgG antibodies to common and novel allergens found in the workplace and other environments. We also offer beryllium lymphocyte transformation testing.
Please contact Dr Meinir Jones for further information; or visit our separate departmental website: http://lungsatwork.org.uk/immunological.php
Courses and teaching
An introduction to medical statistics
We do a lot of post-graduate teaching and offer regular short courses and workshops in:
- Introductory medical statistics
- Occupational asthma
- Spirometry for occupational health practitioners
These courses are popular and should be booked early. Examples of feedback from delegates:
- “All speakers excellent. Small groups very conducive to discussions post-subject.”
- “An excellent program delivered by a very knowledgeable and approachable team.”
- “I would most certainly recommend that this course is re-accredited; it is really excellent and we need more of this calibre.”
For further details please contact Magda Wheatley; or visit our separate departmental webpage: http://lungsatwork.org.uk/courses.php
