The Role of Apoptosis and Macrophage Function in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/349337

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex, chronic disease of the lungs principally caused by cigarette smoking. COPD is very common and causes a great deal of debility and mortality in our community. COPD is also linked to an increased risk of lung cancer and carviovascular disease. It is estimated to cost Australians at least $800 million dollars per year in health related costs. Despite its importance, there is a limited understanding of how COPD develops and treatment options are limited. We have identified large numbers of dying cells in the airways of people with COPD and we believe that these play a critical part in the cause and-or progression of the illness. This project will determine whether the increased rates of cell death are the result of the COPD process or part of the actual cause of the disease. This knowledge will enable us to address the urgent need to predict the risk of developing COPD in current and ex- smokers. Cells obtained from the lungs of healthy controls, current- ex smokers without COPD and current- ex smokers with COPD will be studied. The effects of current treatments for COPD on these cells as well as testing novel treatments will also be studied, paying particular attention to the effects on cell death. In this way we hope that new therapies will be identified to improve the health and well-being of those with COPD.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2005

End Date: 01-01-2007

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $463,400.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Respiratory Diseases

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

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Other Keywords

Airway inflammation | Apoptosis | Chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | Cytokine | Gene therapy | Phagocytosis | Smoking related diseases | Treatment of respiratory disease

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