Asthma - A Family History
Gene-environment interactions in the early life origins of asthma
An Inaugural Lecture given by Professor John Holloway on Thursday 14th February 2013
WATCH THE LECTURE
Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease that affects over 5 million people in the UK today. While much is understood about the triggers of asthma attacks in people with the disease, much less is understood about why asthma develops in the first place. This lecture explores our understanding of the genetic factors that predispose to asthma and also how environmental exposures in early life can also alter an individual’s future risk of developing asthma.
Professor Holloway graduated with a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from Otago University, New Zealand in 1992. He went on to undertake research into the genetic basis of asthma at both the University of Southampton and the Malaghan Institute (Wellington, New Zealand) graduating with a Ph.D. in 1997. Subsequently Professor Holloway returned to Southampton and continued his research into the genetic basis of allergies and asthma. He now heads the Respiratory Genetics Group, based in the Human Development and Health and Clinical and Experimental Sciences Academic Units. More recently his work has focused on gene-environment interactions in early-life that determine susceptibility to these conditions.