Asthma approach: Hunter Medical Research Institute researchers try to go beyond one-size-fits-all
Asthma affects about one in nine Australians and has significant impact on people’s health. Newcastle researchers will focus on the individual to investigate new therapeutic approaches. READ about the amazing research set to take place!
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Newcastle researches are set to be hard at work investigating new therapeutic approaches to one of the world’s most debilitating health conditions.
Asthma affects about one in nine Australians and has a significant impact on people’s health, quality of life and the health-care system.
Following a $2.5 million dollar funding grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), University of Newcastle’s Professor Vanessa McDonald is leading a team of researchers from the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) to look more into the respiratory illness.
They will go beyond a one-size-fits-all management program for asthma, focusing on tailored plans for individuals and investigating the condition in special populations.
“It’s an approach that’s termed ‘treatable traits’, an approach we can take into account the whole patient,” Professor McDonald said.
“We want to take research further and test the mild disease, more difficult to manage and the severe refractory asthma population and in special populations such as pregnant women.
“It’s thinking beyond the lungs. Having vocal cord dysfunction, being physically inactive and experiencing side-effects of treatment from excessive use of corticosteroids all influence how a person experiences asthma as well as how effective various treatments are.”
The approach has received a lot of traction from an international perspective, which desperately needs credible data to support it.
“This approach has been recommended as part of international initiatives and we have investigators in our our team of researchers representing people from around the world who are experts in this area,” she said.
“We want to take these complex programs, disseminate the research and implement them into the clinic.
“The objectives are to train the next generation of health workers to translate the new knowledge into practice.”
The University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation), Professor Janet Nelson, said this project is an innovative solution to a pervasive public health issue.
“Professor McDonald and her team have an impressive research record in the area of respiratory diseases,” she said.
“By working in partnership with other Australian and international organisations and institutes this project will deliver better health outcomes for our communities, which is a huge priority for our University.
The research program will kick off in November and will include a platform of clinical trials to test different interventions in different populations and settings.
Beyond the end of the program in five years time, they want to develop it as a self sustainable centre, bringing the research into the world of clinical practice.