Respiratory Sciences

Respiratory research in Leicester is carried out by a team of clinical and non-clinical academics from both University and NHS backgrounds engaged in internationally competitive research.

The University of Leicester has a deserved international reputation in respiratory research with genuine strengths in both basic and clinical research in asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cough and other respiratory diseases. The Respiratory Sciences theme contributes substantially to the Institute for Lung Health (ILH) and has strong and developing links with basic and clinical respiratory scientists at the University of Nottingham through RSCEM (Respiratory Science Collaboration – East Midlands).

A central question being addressed by members of the theme is what is the pathogenesis of environmentally-driven lung disease? Theme members come together to address this question from a diversity of perspectives, encompassing fundamental molecular and cellular investigations, through to clinical, epidemiological approaches. The main areas of research are chronic lung diseases; asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis (a common form of obstructive lung disease), and infectious lung diseases associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Influenza.