Dr Richard Russell

I am a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Academic Clinical Lecturer in Respiratory Medicine.

I studied medicine at Newcastle University and graduated in 2008. After spells working in North East England and New Zealand I came to Leicester in 2011 to continue my medical training. I completed my PhD at Leicester University between 2015 and 2020 investigating the airway remodelling responses seen in severe asthma patients treated with either bronchial thermoplasty or an anti-IL13 monoclonal antibody. I was appointed as an Academic Clinical Lecturer in early 2020 and undertake research focusing on the management of severe asthma alongside clinical work as a Respiratory Speciality Registrar. I am based in the Biomedical Research Centre - Respiratory at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester.

Additionally, I am a member of the CHEST guidelines expert cough panel, a contributing advisor for BMJ Best Practice, and a member of the British Thoracic Society Inhaler Technique Optimisation Group.

My research focusses on the treatment of severe asthma with a particular interest in pragmatic clinical trials to optimise existing treatment pathways and management approaches. I have an interest in bronchial thermoplasty, which despite being an approved treatment for severe asthma is relatively infrequently utilised. I aim to establish which patients will gain the most from this treatment, further clarify its effects and mechanism of action, and better establish where thermoplasty should fit within existing management guidelines for severe asthma. To facilitate this I have established and lead a UK-wide network of clinicians and researchers with an interest in thermoplasty.

I am also Principal Investigator on an interdisciplinary project investigating the language used by people experiencing Long Covid funded by the Leicester Institute for Advanced Studies (LIAS). Alongside colleagues from the departments of English, Neuroscience, Psychology, Sociology and Informatics we aim to establish the evolution of the language used by people experiencing Long Covid, and utilise this information to improve literature on the topic as well as provide guidance for use by healthcare providers.

Astegolimab, an anti-ST2, in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD-ST2OP): a phase 2a, placebo-controlled trial. Yousuf AJ, Mohammed S, Carr L, Yavari Ramsheh M, Micieli C, Mistry V, Haldar K, Wright A, Novotny P, Parker S, Glover S, Finch J, Quann N, Brookes CL, Hobson R, Ibrahim W, Russell RJ, John C, Grimbaldeston MA, Choy DF, Cheung D, Steiner M, Greening NJ, Brightling CE. Lancet Respir Med. 2022 Mar 24:S2213-2600(21)00556-7

Bronchial thermoplasty: what we know, what we don't know, and what we need to know. Russell RJ, Brightling CE. Eur Respir J. 2021 Dec 31;59(1):2102018

Managing Chronic Cough due to Asthma and NAEB in Adults and Adolescents: CHEST Guideline and Expert Panel Report. Côté A, Russell RJ, Boulet L-P, Gibson PG, Lai K, Irwin RS, Brightling CE, on behalf of the CHEST Expert Cough Panel. Chest. 2020 Jan;158(1):68-96

ERS/EAACI statement on severe exacerbations in asthma in adults: facts, priorities and key research questions. Bourdin A, Bjermer L, Brightling C, Brusselle GG, Chanez P, Chung KF, Custovic A, Diamant Z, Diver S, Djukanovic R, Hamerlijnck D, Horváth I, Johnston SL, Kanniess F, Papadopoulos N, Papi A, Russell RJ, Ryan D, Samitas K, Tonia T, Zervas E, Gaga M. Lancet Respiratory Medicine. 2019 Sep;54(3)

Cough and Eosinophilia. Diver S, Russell RJ, Brightling CE. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. 2019 Aug;7(6):1740-1747

Effect of tralokinumab, an interleukin-13 neutralising monoclonal antibody, on eosinophilic airway inflammation in uncontrolled moderate-to-severe asthma (MESOS): a multicentre double-blind randomised placebo-controlled phase 2 trial. Russell RJ, Chachi L, FitzGerald JM, Backer V, Olivenstein R, Titlestad IL, Ulrik CS, Harrison T, Singh D, Chaudhuri R, Leaker B, McGarvey L, Siddiqui S, Wang M, Braddock M, Nordenmark LH, Cohen D, Parikh H, Colice G, Brightling CE. Lancet Respiratory Medicine. 2018 Jul;6(7):499-510

In vitro, in silico and in vivo study challenges the impact of bronchial thermoplasty on acute airway smooth muscle mass loss. Chernyavsky IL, Russell RJ, Saunders RM, Morris GE, Berair R, Singapuri A, Chachi L, Mansur AH, Howarth PH, Dennison P, Chaudhuri R, Bicknell S, Rose FRAJ, Siddiqui S, Brook BS, Brightling CE. European Respiratory Journal. 2018 May;51(5)

New and emerging drug treatments for severe asthma. Diver S, Russell RJ, Brightling CE. Clinical and Experimental Allergy. 2018 Mar;48(3):241-252

Pathogenesis of asthma: implications for precision medicine. Russell RJ, Brightling C. Clinical Science. 2017 Jun;131(14):1723-1735

Anti-IL5 for severe asthma: aiming high to achieve success. Russell R, Brightling C. Chest. 2016 Oct; 150(4):766-768

Airway smooth muscle NOX4 is upregulated and modulates ROS generation in COPD. Hollins F, Sutcliffe A, Gomez E, Berair R, Russell R, Szyndralewiez C, Saunders R, Brightling C. Respiratory Research. 2016 Jul;17(1):84

Mepolizumab for the reduction of exacerbations in severe eosinophilic asthma. Russell R, Brightling C. Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine. 2016 Jun;10(6):607-17

Member of the CHEST guidelines expert cough panel.

Contributing advisor for BMJ Best Practice.

Member of the British Thoracic Society Inhaler Technique Optimisation Group.

Member of the British Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society.

Bronchial thermoplasty leads to rapid and persistent improvements in airway remodelling. Russell RJ et al. European Respiratory Society Congress Madrid Oct 2019

Effect of tralokinumab upon eosinophilic airway inflammation in participants with moderate to severe uncontrolled asthma (MESOS). Russell RJ et al. American Thoracic Society International Conference San Diego May 2018

Clinical and histological effects of Bronchial Thermoplasty in severe asthma. Russell RJ et al. European Respiratory Society Congress Milan Sept 2017

Bronchial epithelial gene expression of NOX isoforms are related to important clinical characteristics in COPD. Russell R et al. European Respiratory Society Congress London Sept 2016"

MBBS, University of Newcastle upon Tyne UK. 2008.

MRCP (UK), Royal College of Physicians, London, UK. 2013.

PhD, University of Leicester, UK. 2020.