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Canterbury Respiratory Research Group - Report from DirectorThe two years since the last director’s report have felt like finally departing the doldrums, and feeling a trade wind at our backs again. Looking back over my first few years as Director of the Canterbury Respiratory Research Group, it was always clear that there would be a lull in output of the Group, with new directions and ventures being established. In my last report from two years ago, there was a sense of frustration that funding was short, and that the high quality work being undertaken by members of the Group had yet to translate into articles in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. There was concern that without adequate fully funded research projects, the Group would always struggle to survive, and so it proved, with the link with the University of Otago proving a life-saver. But how things have turned around now… Last year was particularly successful in terms of research funding support. The Canterbury Respiratory Research Group was successful in obtaining Health Research Council of New Zealand funding for two collaborative projects, one with Professor Steve Chambers exploring breath testing for fungal infections, the other with Professor Robin Taylor in Dunedin, exploring the utility of measuring exhaled nitric oxide to predict response to steroids in COPD. Both of these projects are recognition of the importance of the direction the Group is taking, exploring all aspects of breath testing as a diagnostic and management tool in respiratory disease. It is easy to be smug when HRC granting applications are successful, but it is important to remember that this success is just the beginning. The important task now begins, translating that support into published robust research. It is also worth remembering that this support from the HRC is not just a flash in the pan – the Canterbury Respiratory Research Group has a long history of success in this highest of research granting processes. The Infant Cohort Study has been funded by the HRC for most of its existence, and is finally delivering research outputs in the peer reviewed literature. The hard work in data collection over the years is translating into a huge data resource, which keen researchers like Karen Silvers can now explore, with what, in Karen’s case, appear to be hugely exciting results. I look forward to seeing these results being submitted to journals of the highest quality in the coming weeks. It seems likely that these papers will be merely the first of a long string of publications about the development of asthma and allergy in New Zealand, which will be of world-wide interest. The beta-agonist Pharmacogenetics Study, again funded by the HRC, was successful in being published in the highest ranked respiratory journal, reflecting the importance and interest in the relationship between genetic influences in asthma and response to medications. This paper has already been cited four times, even though it has only been published for a few months. The HRC funded Health and Air Pollution Study (HAPiNZ) has had two articles accepted for publication so far, with three others in the review process. The ongoing collaborative links forged by this work, both with the Department of Geography at the University of Canterbury, and with Landcare Research, has been a source of great professional satisfaction, and not a small number of publications. The data collection for the COPD Genetics Study, an HRC collaboration with the Auckland School of Medicine, is complete, and I look forward very soon to seeing the results of this work. We have been very fortunate to be teaming up with Syft Technologies Ltd, working with them on a Research for Industry grant from FORST. The opportunity to work with a local company, who are rapidly generating a world-wide reputation for innovative engineering linking up to advance research into non-invasive assessment of airway inflammation, is extremely exciting. I look forward to seeing how this fundamental research translates into advances in diagnostic equipment. The potential of this technology to be the “inflammometer” which respiratory physicians are seeking is profound, and all the more exciting for being a local, home-grown effort. Our on-going collaboration with Infectious Diseases has at last led to the establishment of the Lung Defence Laboratory, currently housed in the 1st Floor of the School of Medicine, soon to be occupying more permanent facilities. The arrival of Mona Syhre, and Lola, the state of the art GC/MS equipment, and the final establishment of a wet lab facility which we can call our own, has been the realisation of a long-held dream. In addition, our collaborative work in exploring new organisms in COPD, and plans for future work in community acquired pneumonia, demonstrate the exciting potential of strong linkages with Microbiology. The collaborations between Infectious Diseases, Free Radical Research Group, Syft Technologies Ltd, and ourselves should prove very fruitful over the next few years. The University of Otago funded a project exploring predictive models for hospital admission, modelling the effects of weather, air pollution and viral illness on medical admissions. This work, combining some innovative spatial modelling techniques from the team at the Department of Geography at the University of Canterbury, with the established expertise of Lance Jennings in Virology, and building on our ongoing work with pollution and health, have already generated one accepted publication, and more are planned. A combined project with the Department of Public Health and General Practice, and Pegasus Health, exploring the effectiveness of treating mild to moderate pneumonia at home was successfully completed, and subsequently published. Again, even though only published for a few months, this paper has already been cited three times. A further project with Pegasus Health exploring self-management plans in COPD casts doubt on their effectiveness in primary care management of COPD. The Respiratory Physiology Laboratory continues to generate high quality research outputs. The fact that many members of the lab are pursuing higher degrees, and generating independent research, contributes to the recognition of this CDHB facility being world leaders in their area. Particular recognition should go to Maureen Swanney, who completed her PhD this year, and is being recognised internationally by invitations to present at major conferences, and to chair and contribute to important committees in pulmonary physiology. This is a very significant output for a small group, and is testimony to the extraordinary hard and dedicated work that the team puts in. The team-work, flexibility and adaptability of the personnel from the Group is a tribute to their professionalism. There continues to be significant comings and goings from the Group, as people seek other professional goals. The fact that all personnel can and do contribute significantly during their time associated with the Group is a testament to the underlying principles and philosophies, which are unchanged from when the CRRG was first founded – good quality ethical research in respiratory medicine, with and for the people of Canterbury. MIKE EPTON
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