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Research project

Dr P Howarth: 'Wessex severe asthma cohort'

Staff

Other researchers

Professor Donna Davies

Prof in Resp. Cell & Molecular Biology

Research interests

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

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.

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
Toll-like receptor 7 is reduced in severe asthma and linked to altered microRNA profile
Hitasha Rupani,
Rocio Teresa Martinez-Nunez,
Patrick Dennison,
Laurie Lau,
Nivenka Jayasekera,
Tom Havelock,
Ana Francisco-Garcia,
Chris Grainge,
Peter Howarth,
& Tilman Sanchez-Elsner
, 2016 , American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine , 194 (1) , 26--37
DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201502-0280OC
Type: article
Severe asthma exists despite suppressed tissue inflammation: findings of the U-BIOPRED study
Susan J. Wilson,
Jonathan A. Ward,
Ana Sousa,
Julie Corfield,
Aruna T. Bansal,
Bertrand De Meulder,
Diane Lefaudeux,
Charles Auffray,
Matthew J. Loza,
Frederic Baribaud,
Neil Fitch,
Peter J. Sterk,
Kian Chung,
David Gibeon,
Kai Sun,
Yi-Ke Guo,
Ian Adcock,
Ratko Djukanovic,
Barbro Dahlen,
Pascal Chanez,
Dominick Shaw,
Norbert Krug,
Jens Hohlfeld,
Thomas Sandtrom,
Peter H. Howarth,
&
, 2016 , European Respiratory Journal , 48 (5) , 1307--1319
DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01129-2016
Type: article
IL-1alpha mediates cellular cross-talk in the airway epithelial mesenchymal trophic unit
Alison R. Hill,
Jess E. Donaldson,
Cornelia Blume,
Natalie Smithers,
Liku Tezera,
Kamran Tariq,
Patrick Dennison,
Hitasha Rupani,
Matthew J. Edwards,
Peter H. Howarth,
Chris Grainge,
Donna E. Davies,
& Emily J. Swindle
, 2016 , Tissue Barriers , 4 (3) , 1--12
DOI: 10.1080/21688370.2016.1206378
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