ARC Future Fellowships - Grant ID: FT130100518

Funder

Australian Research Council

Funding Amount

$754,320.00

Summary

Impaired innate antiviral immunity predisposes toward virus-associated airway remodelling in childhood asthma. Increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass is the major pathological feature of asthma that causes poor lung function. ASM remodelling occurs in early life, is refractory to current treatments and persists into later life. Severe respiratory virus infections in early life are a major risk factor for the development of asthma, yet it remains to be determined whether viruses promote ASM re .... Impaired innate antiviral immunity predisposes toward virus-associated airway remodelling in childhood asthma. Increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass is the major pathological feature of asthma that causes poor lung function. ASM remodelling occurs in early life, is refractory to current treatments and persists into later life. Severe respiratory virus infections in early life are a major risk factor for the development of asthma, yet it remains to be determined whether viruses promote ASM remodelling. Previous studies have developed a unique mouse model of childhood asthma and discovered the molecular mechanism by which this tissue tropism develops in response to virus infection. This project will identify new targets for immunomodulation and design new biologics to block ASM remodelling and the deleterious effects of respiratory virus infection in asthmatic subjects.
Read more Read less