Increased Airway Smooth Muscle Mass As An Independent Determinant Of Asthma Pathogenesis And Severity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$409,966.00
Summary
Asthma is a major health burden to the community. The most common form of the disease is allergic asthma and it is thought that allergic inflammation drives associated airway abnormalities including increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass. This study tests a new hypothesis that airway abnormalities and allergy have separate origins but combine to produce allergic asthma, and it’s the individuals with the greatest amount of ASM who develop clinically severe asthma.
Heterogeneity Of Airway Smooth Muscle Remodelling In Asthma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$623,078.00
Summary
Increased smooth muscle in the airways causes excessive narrowing and asthma symptoms. The distribution of the increased muscle in the lung varies between people with asthma and may determine how severe the asthma is and what treatments are best. This project will use tissues from many cases of asthma to map this distribution and will use laser scanning in the airways to develop a test to safely examine the smooth muscle in living people, in order to better treat or prevent asthma.
Fetal Growth Restriction, Low Birth Weight And The Development Of Asthma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$397,003.00
Summary
Asthma is a common disease in Australia that causes breathing difficulties. Studies have shown that restricted growth in the womb may be linked to developing asthma in childhood and adulthood. The reason for this isn't clear but we believe that restricted growth may alter the normal development of the baby's airway and lungs. Changes to the normal structure of the lungs leads to a higher risk of developing asthma.