Three researchers from the Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre will share in almost $1.8 million in grants to continue groundbreaking research to tackle childhood asthma prevention and lung disease.
The funding is part of a $16 million boost for the WA Child Health Research Fund (WACRF) with grants of up to $600,000 each awarded to Associate Professor Anthony Kicic (The Kids and Curtin University), Dr Shannon Simpson (The Kids and Curtin University), Associate Professor Kathryn Ramsey (The Kids and The University of Western Australia).
Associate Professor Kicic’s project will extend previous work to identify the causes of asthma, by conducting lung function tests on children up to five-years-old.
“We will then combine this outcome with data we have already collected including gene signature patterns, respiratory virus infections in the first year of life, and hospitalisations, to identify those children at risk of developing asthma,” Associate Professor Kicic said.
Associate Professor Shannon Simpson’s project will focus on prematurity-associated lung disease – which is complex and can look very different from person to person.
“There are currently no evidence-based clinical guidelines on how to treat children with prematurity associated lung disease,” Associate Professor Simpson said.
“Categorising the different characteristics of lung disease among individuals in this population would be a step towards better understanding this disease and applying targeted treatments.”
Bronchiectasis – a chronic lung disease characterised by chronic wet cough, recurrent hospitalisations, and progressive lung damage – is the focus of Associate Professor Kathryn Ramsey’s work.
“Despite the increasing prevalence in Australia and significant burden of the disease (especially in First Nations Australians), bronchiectasis remains an under-recognised, under-treated, and under-researched respiratory condition,” Associate Professor Ramsey said.
“The number one priority for consumers and clinicians is to find new ways to improve treatment for bronchiectasis.”
Associate Professor Ramsey and her team will undertake prospective, longitudinal analysis of airway sputum and clinical surveillance data in paediatric bronchiectasis patients attending Perth Children’s Hospital to help improve long term outcomes for patients.
Head of the Wal-yan Centre Professor André Schultz said, “The three successful applicants from the Wal-yan Centre will lead important research aimed at improving the lives of children with lung disease related to prematurity, asthma and bronchiectasis.”
The WACRF was established by the Department of Health and the Channel 7 Telethon Trust in 2012 to provide financial support to research projects that focus on the health of children and adolescents in WA.
For more information, see the Minister’s media release here.