Dr P Howarth: 'Wessex severe asthma cohort'

Staff

Other researchers

Emeritus Professor Donna Davies

Research interests

Mechanisms of lung diseases
Viral-induced exacerbations of lung disease
Asthma

Connect with Donna

Email: D.E.Davies@soton.ac.uk

Professor Ratko Djukanovic

Professor of Medicine

Research interests

Professor Djukanovic has a lifelong interest in asthma, especially its severe forms. where his focus is on: 1) underlying pathobiological mechanisms of asthma, 2) stratification of asthma into clinical phenotypes and mechanism-based endotypes, 3) unmet needs of severe asthma management. He also has an interest in the mechanisms and treatments of severe viral infections of the lung.
Underlying mechanisms of asthma: Professor Djukanovic has conducted pioneer studies into the pathology of asthma, applying research bronchoscopy (with endobronchial biopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage) and sputum induction. He led the initial task forces which defined the use of these two techniques, thereby paving the way for standardised research approches that enabled in-depth descriptions of the roles of various inflammatory cells and their mediators. He developed an explant model, consisting of bronchial biopsies placed into tissue culture, that could be stimulated ex vivo with relevant triggers, applying as needed, novel agents not yet approved for in vivo use in humans volunteers.
Stratification of asthma into clinical phenotypes and mechanism-based endotypes: Professor Djukanovic led the discovery of biomarkers using omics technology (transcriptomics, proteomics, lipidomics, breathomics). After the first ever study of transcriptomics biomarkers in the epithelium of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), together with a colleague from Amsterdam and two colleagues from Imperial College, London, he created a large (€27 milllion) programme for severe asthma (U-BIOPRED), funded by the EU Innovative Medicines Initiative. This has resulted in more than 100 publications, providing insight into novel phenotypes and endotypes of asthma.

Connect with Ratko

Email: rd1@soton.ac.uk

Research outputs

Inhibition of Pim1 kinase, new therapeutic approach in virus-induced asthma exacerbations

Maaike De Vries, N. Bedke, N.P. Smithers, M. Loxham, P.H. Howarth, M.C. Nawijn & D.E. Davies, 2016, European Respiratory Journal, 47(3), 783-791

DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00171-2015

Type: article

Microbes and asthma opportunities for intervention

2016, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 137(3), 690-697

DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.01.004

Type: article

temperature-controlled laminar airflow in severe asthmas for exacerbation reduction (The LASER Trial)

W. Storrar, C. Fogg, T. Brown, P. Dennison, L.M. Yu, A. Dewey, R. Luengo-Fernandez, T. Dean, N. Rahman, A. Mansur, P.H. Howarth, P. Bradding & A.J. Chauhan, 2016, Trials, 17(15), 1-13

DOI: 10.1186/s13063-015-1134-y

Type: article

Innate and adaptive T cells in asthmatic patients

Timothy Hinks, Xiaoying Zhou, Karl J. Staples, Borislav D. Dimitrov, Alexander Manta, Tanya Petrossian, Pek Y. Lum, Caroline G. Smith, Jon A. Ward, Peter H. Howarth, Andrew F. Walls, Stephan D. Gadola & Ratko Djukanović, 2015, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 136(2), 323-333

DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.01.014

Type: article

Multidimensional endotypes of asthma

Timothy Hinks, Xiaoying Zhou, Karl Staples, Borislav Dimitrov, Alexander Manta, Tanya Petrossian, Pek Lum, Caroline Smith, Jon Ward, Peter Howarth, Andrew Walls, Stephan D. Gadola & Ratko Djukanović, 2015, The Lancet, 385(Supplement 1), S42

DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60357-9

Type: article

A microRNA network dysregulated in asthma controls IL-6 production in bronchial epithelial cells

Rocio T. Martinez-Nunez, Victor P. Bondanese, Fethi Louafi, Ana S. Francisco-Garcia, Hitasha Rupani, Nicole Bedke, Stephen Holgate, Peter H. Howarth, Donna E. Davies & Tilman Sanchez-Elsner, 2014, PLoS ONE, 9(10), e111659

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111659

Type: article

Asthmatic and normal respiratory epithelial cells respond differently to mechanical apical stress

Christopher Grainge, Patrick Dennison, Laurie Lau, Donna Davies & Peter Howarth, 2014, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 190(4), 477-480

DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201401-0107LE

Type: article