Newcastle researchers are turning their attention to a group of respiratory patients who are often overlooked in medical research.
The assemblage includes people living with both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Together, the combination leads to more frequent flare-ups and more severe symptoms.
Patients with both conditions are hospitalised frequently and experience a poorer quality of life than those with asthma or COPD alone.
Despite this, research has traditionally examined the two diseases separately, limiting treatment options for people managing each one.
University of Newcastle (UoN) Professor Jay Horvat received $1.5 million in funding from the Medical Research Future Fund.
The grant will support research into the body’s metabolism, a lesser-known contributor to severe lung disease.
Professor Horvat is part of the Hunter Medical Research Institute’s (HMRI) Immune Health Research Program and will lead a Newcastle-based team.
It will examine how metabolic processes influence inflammation and lung function in people with asthma and COPD.
“This project is about finding new ways to help a group of patients who currently have very few effective treatment options,” Professor Horvat said.
Emerging evidence suggests metabolic factors play an important role in respiratory health.
Circumstances such as excess abdominal fat, elevated blood sugar and unhealthy cholesterol levels may worsen lung inflammation and make breathing more difficult.
Professor Horvat said targeting metabolic processes that fuel immune cell inflammation could open the door to new treatment approaches.
“By mapping out these connections in detail, we hope to pinpoint which metabolic changes matter most and identify interventions such as diet, lifestyle changes or targeted therapies that could offer real relief,” he explained.
“If we can understand how metabolic health drives lung inflammation, we can develop better strategies to manage symptoms and improve daily life.”
The research team includes University of Newcastle researchers Dr Hayley Scott, Dr Bronwyn Berthon and Professor Lisa Wood, as well as Professor Murray Cairns from HMRI’s Precision Medicine and Health Research Program.
Researchers hope the findings will lead to new treatments that reduce inflammation and improve breathing.
The work could ease the long-term burden of chronic respiratory disease for people across Newcastle and the Hunter.
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