Centre to bring pathology testing to breathless patients
East Midlands researchers are leading the establishment of a new Centre to develop breath analysis tests that could help in the rapid diagnosis and treatment for a range of conditions, including cancers, respiratory infections and diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The East Midlands Breathomics Pathology Node (EMBER) has been established with a £2.5 million grant from the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to develop breath-based systems for molecular pathology.
The air we breathe out contains a cocktail of volatile organic compounds that give a snapshot of the biological processes taking place in the lungs and beyond. EMBER will help develop breath analysis tests and these could give an instant diagnosis and help doctors pick the best treatments for a range of conditions.
Professor Chris Brightling (pictured), Professor of Respiratory Medicine and NIHR Senior Investigator from the Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, said: “EMBER brings us an exciting opportunity to develop new breath tests to understand the types of diseases that one has and the right treatments for them. This is applicable to all patients and it has particular advantages in the elderly and children where other tests such as blood tests are more challenging.’’
The Centre will be launching on Friday 2 October 2015 from 12.30-16.30 at College Court Conference Centre and Hotel, Knighton Road, Leicester.