Research Roundup:
June 2018
Welcome Message
We are deep in conference season with both the TSANZSRS18 and the ATS Congress now finished for another year. At TSANZSRS18, respiratory research received a much needed boost of over $2 million funding from TSANZ, LFA, CFA, NAC, and our partners. These awards were announced at the Respiratory Research Excellence Awards session and we hope you enjoyed this new -look celebration. You can recap the TSANZ research winners on our website. ATS Congress was another huge event and we invite you to look at the limbic stories below for highlights. The next international meeting in the respiratory circuit is the ERS Congress in Paris Sept 15-19. There are ERS travel awards available still so please look into these if you are planning on attending.
We would also like to highlight the funding opportunities available for those researching alpha-one antitrypsin deficiency in lung disease. There are large grants on offer from the Alpha One Association and these do not require any specific membership and international collaborations for eligibility.
Furthermore, the Thoracic Society Research Medal and other awards by nominations are now open. Please consider nominating a member in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the advancement of knowledge in respiratory medicine or science carried out primarily in Australia or New Zealand.
Finally, I encourage you all to complete the survey at the end of this newsletter in regards to The Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI). The GLI has developed all ages, multi-ethnic reference equations for the most commonly used lung function tests and worked with the broader respiratory community to implement these equations. They are now seeking feedback from the community regarding experiences with implementation of the GLI spirometry and GLI TLCO reference equations, as well understanding any barriers and challenges to implementation.
Enjoy the June edition of your research roundup.
Profs Phil Hansbro & Sandra Hodge
Co-Chairs, Research Sub-Committee
Open Awards
TSANZ NZ Branch ASM Travel Grant – closing 14 Jul 18
Vertex Cystic Fibrosis Research Awards – NACFC closing 08 Aug 18
Lung Foundation Australia / A Menarini Pty Ltd 2018 Travel Awards – ERS closing 29 Jun 18, APSR closing 09 Jul 18
How to participate
Follow the links above to access each award application form and download the information sheet.
Please email the TSANZ Awards Coordinator with any questions, comments or enquires.
Watch this space for more award announcements…
Support TSANZ
This year, TSANZ is asking members to provide a tax deductible donation to support our work in respiratory research and/or clinical care. You can choose to donate to one, or both, of the programs detailed below:
1. TSANZ 50th Anniversary Benevolent Fund supports projects aimed at improving the respiratory health care of individuals who are in a setting where health care resources and delivery are poor. In 2018, this program supported the development of two clinical programs:
- Take the Bronchiectasis Toolbox on the road: A program aiming to build upon the tremendous work of the Bronchiectasis Toolbox by increasing its effectiveness in in Australia’s regional and remote areas. TBTR is designed to bridge the gap between electronic platform and clinician by supplementing the Toolbox’s online content with face-to-face educational workshops, as well as further online resources and telephone and email support.
- A clinician’s guide to early diagnosis of PCD – when common symptoms mean so much more!: An online educational resource for medical staff to aid in the early and accurate diagnosis of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD). This resource aims to increase medical awareness of suggestive symptoms as well as referral directions for diagnostic testing. This guide will not only better enable clinicians to identify PCD in its crucial early stages, but provide them with the knowledge of specific PCD therapy aims that they need to ensure their patients receive the best treatment possible.
– CLICK HERE to make a donation.
2. Joint TSANZ/LFA Research Program
In 2018 were able to recognise three respiratory health researchers for their work in combating serious lung disease. The 2018 Lungs for Life Research Award winners were:
Professor Phil Hansbro: Cell free microRNA: potential biomarkers for the early detection of lung cancer
Dr Malcolm Starkey: Understanding how group 2 innate lymphoid cells in early-life regulate postnatal lung development and susceptibility to chronic lung diseases
Dr Megan Jensen: Maternal and Early Life Vitamin D exposure and asthma risk in high risk infants
With your support, we can continue to support Australia and New Zealand’s most significant and cutting edge respiratory health research, and benefit Australians and New Zealanders suffering from lung disease. Please CLICK HERE to make a donation.
3. Leave TSANZ a gift in your will – If you are interested in supporting TSANZ in the future, one way to do so is to leave TSANZ a gift in your will. Any support is greatly appreciated and will leave a lasting legacy. If interested, please notify us by ticking the box on the Support TSANZ form attached. Once you have completed the form, please email TSANZOffice@thoracic.org.au.
4. TSANZ New Zealand Branch Incorporated – CLICK HERE to make a donation.
New Zealand members are able to make a tax deductible donation directly to the NZ branch. You can assist the NZ branch to provide services to members across NZ. If you make a payment via electronic funds transfer (EFT), please notify the TSANZ office so that we can arrange a receipt.
The following articles will take you to thelimbic.com
Opening plenary calls for clinical leadership
The smart new Australian lung function test that surpasses spirometry
Step down in therapy suits stable COPD
Pulmonary rehab: too good to ignore
How IPF can learn lessons from oncology
Systemic change is needed to tackle physician burnout
Direct acting antivirals expand organ donation
Endobronchial valves help severe emphysema – but come with risk of pneumothorax
New mab may reduce exacerbations and steroid use in severe asthma
Bacteriophage therapy re-emerges to treat multidrug resistant infections
The big debate: can telemedicine reduce clinic infection rates in CF?
New guidelines to reduce delays in diagnosis of rare lung disease
Bronchial thermoplasty: might not be all hot air
TSANZ Medals
We apologise for the mistake we made in our latest article on the Society Medal in the May e-news. In response, we would like to congratulate the recipients of three prestigious TSANZ Medals: the Society Medal, the Research Medal, and the 50th Anniversary Medal. These awards are presented to TSANZ members as an acknowledgement of their outstanding contributions to respiratory health in research, education, and the health sector.
Nominations for the year have now opened! If you wish to nominate an extraordinary TSANZ member for their work in respiratory health, please visit https://www.thoracic.org.au/researchawards/tsanz-awards-by-nomination for more information.
Previous recipients of these prestigious TSANZ Medals are listed below:
The Research Medal |
|
| 1992 | Professor Ludwig Engel (posthumously) |
| 1994 | Professor Colin Sullivan |
| 1996 |
Professor Terry Nicholas
Professor Peter Phelan |
| 1998 | Professor Judith Black |
| 1999 | A/Professor Philip Thompson |
| 2000 | Professor Richard Beasley |
| 2003 | A/Professor Peter Gibson |
| 2005 | Professor Peter Sly |
| 2006 | A/Professor Gary Anderson |
| 2007 | Professor Haydn Walters |
| 2008 | Professor Bruce Robinson |
| 2009 | Professor Peter Bye |
| 2010 |
Professor Guy Marks
|
|
2011
|
Professor Bill Musk
Professor Michael Abramson |
| 2012 | A/Professor Paul Forrest |
| 2013 | Professor Anne Chang |
| 2014 | Professor Scott Bell |
| 2015 | Professor Richard Beasley |
| 2016 | Professor Ron Grunstein |
| 2018 | Professor Peter Le Souef |
The Society Medal |
|
| 1992 | Dr Maurice Joseph |
| 1993 | Dr Roy Mills |
| 1994 | Professor Tom O’Donnell |
| 1995 | Dr Michael Pain |
| 1996 | Dr Alastair Campbell (posthumously) |
| 1997 | Dr Michael Burns |
| 1998 | Professor Ann Woolcock |
| 1999 | Dr Kevin Finucane |
| 2002 | Dr Peter Rothwell |
| 2004 | Dr Abraham Rubinfeld |
| 2006 | A/Professor Charles Mitchell |
| 2008 | Dr Bob Edwards |
| 2011 | Judge John O’Meally |
| 2012 | Professor Norbert Berend |
| 2013 | Professor Philip Thompson |
| 2014 | Professor Peter van Asperen |
| 2015 | Professor Martin Phillips |
| 2016 | Professor Iven Young |
| 2017 | Professor Peter Holmes |
| 2018 | Professor Paul Reynolds |
50th Anniversary Medal |
|
| 2011 | Dr Paul Zimmerman |
| 2012 |
A/Professor Tara Mackenzie
|
| 2013 | Professor Fiona Lake |
| 2014 | A/Professor Chien-Li Holmes-Liew |
| 2015 | Professor Hubertus Jersmann Dr Nicholas Saltos |
| 2016 | Professor Peter Frith |
| 2017 | Professor Jennifer Alison Professor Richard Ruffin |
Respirology Issue – Editor’s Choice
Vitamin D and respiratory health in the Busselton Healthy Ageing Study
SIOBHAIN MULRENNAN, MATTHEW KNUIMAN, JOHN P. WALSH, JENNIE HUI, MICHAEL HUNTER, MARK DIVITINI, KUN ZHU, BRIAN R. COOKE, ARTHUR W. (BILL) MUSK and ALAN JAMES
DOI: 10.1111/resp.13239
A Busselton Health Study participant undergoing lung function testing
Likelihood of pulmonary hypertension in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema
JOSEPH JACOB, BRIAN J. BARTHOLMAI, SRINIVASAN RAJAGOPALAN, RONALD KARWOSKI, ARJUN NAIR, SIMON L.F. WALSH, JOSEPH BARNETT, GARY CROSS, EOIN P. JUDGE, MARIA KOKOSI, ELISABETTA RENZONI, TOBY M. MAHER and ATHOL U. WELLS
DOI: 10.1111/resp.13231
The Royal Brompton Hospital in South Kensington, London, UK (left), and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, USA (right).
Mortality in patients with community-onset pneumonia at low risk of drug-resistant pathogens: Impact of β-lactam plus macrolide combination therapy
JUNYA OKUMURA, YUICHIRO SHINDO, KUNIHIKO TAKAHASHI, MASAHIRO SANO, YASUTERU SUGINO, TETSUYA YAGI, HIROYUKI TANIGUCHI, HIDEO SAKA, SHIGEYUKI MATSUI, YOSHINORI HASEGAWA on behalf of the Central Japan Lung Study Group
DOI: 10.1111/resp.13232
The Nagoya University Respiratory Tract Infection Team studied approximately 1500 patients with pneumonia from 10 different hospitals on behalf of the Central Japan Lung Study Group.
Diagnostic utility of surgical lung biopsies in elderly patients with indeterminate interstitial lung disease
LASZLO T. VASZAR, BRANDON T. LARSEN, KAREN L. SWANSON, JAY H. RYU AND HENRY D. TAZELAAR
DOI: 10.1111/resp.13223
The research team from the Mayo Clinics in Scottsdale, AR, and Rochester, MN, USA, from left to right: Karen L Swanson, Henry D Tazelaar, Laszlo T Vaszar, Brandon T Larsen and Jay H Ryu (inset top right).
Nasal high flow therapy and PtCO2 in stable COPD: A randomized controlled cross-over trial
STEVEN MCKINSTRY, JANINE PILCHER, GEORGE BARDSLEY, JAMES BERRY, SUSANNE VAN DE HEI, IRENE BRAITHWAITE, JAMES FINGLETON, MARK WEATHERALL and RICHARD BEASLEY
DOI: 10.1111/resp.13185
Nasal High Flow therapy in action
Pharmacokinetics and safety of paclitaxel delivery into porcine airway walls by a new endobronchial drug delivery catheter
HISASHI TSUKADA, PLAMENA ENTCHEVA-DIMITROV, ARMIN ERNST, SAMAAN RAFEQ, JOHN H. KEATING, KIRK P. SEWARD and LONNY YARMUS
DOI: 10.1111/resp.13214
The Blowfish® Transbronchial Micro-Infusion Catheter
Research Project and Survey Requests
The Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) Survey
The Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) has developed all ages, multi-ethnic reference equations for the most commonly used lung function tests and worked with the broader respiratory community to implement these equations.
As part of our broader work we are interested in receiving feedback from the community regarding experiences with implementation of the GLI spirometry and GLI TLCO reference equations, as well understanding any barriers and challenges to implementation. We would greatly appreciate you taking the time to complete the survey to help us understand the experiences of your own research group and/or clinical department.
This short survey should take ~ 5 minutes to complete and will assist in further informing GLI activities and how we approach future implementation. Individuals and their institutions will not be identified. Outcomes of the survey will be made publicly available on the GLI website.
We are currently working to develop reference equations for lung volumes and if you or your colleagues have lung volume data in healthy individuals please do visit www.lungfunction.org for more information on this latest GLI initiative.
Survey sent on behalf of the Global Lung Function Initiative Network:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DB9LYDJ?PleaseSpecify=[PleaseSpecify_value]
Explaining chronic breathlessness
Chronic breathlessness has been defined as ‘breathlessness that persists despite optimal treatment of underlying pathology and results in disability’ (Johnson et al. Eur Respir J 2017;49 (5)). This symptom is a common daily experience for people with a range of malignant and non-malignant respiratory, cardiovascular and neuromuscular conditions.
We know very little about how health professionals explain chronic breathlessness to people living with this symptom. This survey seek to collect information on the explanations health professionals, from a variety of professional disciplines, use when explaining chronic breathlessness to people living with this symptom (and their views on whether there is specific information which should and should not be included in explanations).
This electronic survey contains 13 questions and should take not more than 10 -12 minutes to complete. All responses will be confidential and anonymised by allocating an ID code to each participant. Details concerning the process including data management and privacy consideration are included in the Participant Information sheet included within the opening screens of the survey.
Ethical approval has been received from the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of South Australia (ID: 200896)
For further information or to participate, please click here:
‘Explain chronic breathlessness’ or copy and paste the following into your browser:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Explain-Chronic-Breathlessness
For further information please contact Dr Marie Williams (E: marie.williams@unisa.edu.au or Ph: +61-8-8302 1153, University of South Australia) on behalf of the research team (Dr Kylie Johnston and Prof Dina Brooks)