Search
Research
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition in Respiratory Disease: Fact or FictionIn this translational review, the mechanisms, roles, and impact of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in chronic lung diseases are discussed
Research
Primary Nasal Epithelial Cells as a Surrogate Cell Culture Model for Type-II Alveolar Cells to Study ABCA-3 DeficiencyATP Binding Cassette Subfamily A Member 3 (ABCA-3) is a lipid transporter protein highly expressed in type-II alveolar (AT-II) cells. Mutations in ABCA3 can result in severe respiratory disease in infants and children. To study ABCA-3 deficiency in vitro, primary AT-II cells would be the cell culture of choice although sample accessibility is limited. Our aim was to investigate the suitability of primary nasal epithelial cells, as a surrogate culture model for AT-II cells, to study ABCA-3 deficiency.
Research
Associations Between Hyperphagia, Symptoms of Sleep Breathing Disorder, Behaviour Difficulties and Caregiver Well-Being in Prader-Willi Syndrome: A Preliminary StudyPrader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder characterised by neurodevelopmental delays, hyperphagia, difficulties with social communication and challenging behaviours. Individuals require intensive supervision from caregivers which may negatively affect caregiver quality of life. This study used data collected in the Australasian PWS Registry to evaluate associations between child behaviours and caregiver mental well-being.
Research
Dysregulated Notch Signaling in the Airway Epithelium of Children with WheezeThe airway epithelium of children with wheeze is characterized by defective repair that contributes to disease pathobiology. Dysregulation of developmental processes controlled by Notch has been identified in chronic asthma. However, its role in airway epithelial cells of young children with wheeze, particularly during repair, is yet to be determined.
Research
A Small Device May Deliver King-Sized Solutions for Patients With an Exacerbation of Cystic FibrosisThe aim is to examine whether using a portable spring-infusor device to deliver antibiotics compared with a standard infusion pump (SIP) translated to (i) improve health outcomes, (ii) reduce the length of stay (LoS), and (iii) reduce cost for treatment of exacerbations of cystic fibrosis.
Research
BEAT-CF: Bayesian Evidence-Adaptive Tool to optimise management of Cystic FibrosisAn innovative response-adaptive approach to driving improvements in health outcomes, applied to cystic fibrosis.

The Airway Epithelial Research Team is investigating the role of the epithelium in the development of airway diseases including asthma, cystic fibrosis and lung transplant rejection.
Research
Cultures of HRV-C for investigations of pathogenesis in childrenAnthony Belinda Ingrid Kicic Hales Laing BSc (Hons) PhD BSc (Hons) PhD BSc PhD Rothwell Family Fellow; Head, Airway Epithelial Research Senior
Research
Assessing the unified airway hypothesis in children via transcriptional profiling of the airway epitheliumUpper and lower airways are conserved in their transcriptional composition, and variations associated with disease are present in both nasal and tracheal epithelium
Research
Airway epithelial repair in health and disease: Orchestrator or simply a player?This review attempts to highlight migration-specific and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) aspects of repair used by epithelial cells
Research
Exploring the Complexity of the Human Respiratory Virome through an In Silico Analysis of Shotgun Metagenomic Data Retrieved from Public RepositoriesRespiratory viruses significantly impact global morbidity and mortality, causing more disease in humans than any other infectious agent. Beyond pathogens, various viruses and bacteria colonize the respiratory tract without causing disease, potentially influencing respiratory diseases’ pathogenesis.
Research
Developing a novel therapeutic pipeline for antibiotic resistant bacterial lung infection in children: investigating and assessing the potential phage therapyAntimicrobial resistance is a global health crisis, which has accelerated due to the overuse of antibiotics.
Research
Ground zero—the airway epitheliumNew PageThis chapter will discuss the structure of the airway highlighting the now broad number of cell types that comprise it
Research
Interleukin-1 is associated with inflammation and structural lung disease in young children with cystic fibrosisOur data associates IL-1α with early structural lung damage in CF and suggests this pathway as a novel anti-inflammatory target
Research
Pulmonary microRNA profiles identify involvement of Creb1 and Sec14l3 in bronchial epithelial changes in allergic asthmaIn this study, we aimed to use microRNAs-which are critical regulators of signaling cascades-to identify so far uncharacterized asthma pathogenesis pathways
Research
COVID-19 monitoring with sparse sampling of sewered and non-sewered wastewater in urban and rural communitiesEquitable SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in low-resource communities lacking centralized sewers is critical as wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) progresses. However, large-scale studies on SARS-CoV-2 detection in wastewater from low-and middle-income countries is limited because of economic and technical reasons.
Research
Biodiesel Exhaust Toxicity with and without Diethylene Glycol Dimethyl Ether Fuel Additive in Primary Airway Epithelial Cells Grown at the Air-Liquid InterfaceBiodiesel usage is increasing steadily worldwide as the push for renewable fuel sources increases. The increased oxygen content in biodiesel fuel is believed to cause decreased particulate matter (PM) and increased nitrous oxides within its exhaust.