JARS is funding the visitation of Professor Saglani, a prominent Asthma UK research Scientist, to give a talk to the both the clinicians as well as the general public about Research which is been undertaken to address the potentially debilitating disease known as Asthma.
This Presentation is to be given by: Professor Sejal Saglani, Professor of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine and the Clinical Senior Lecturer at Imperial College London.
Overview
1.1 million children in the UK have asthma, one of the highest rates of childhood asthma in the world. One of these children gets hospitalised by an asthma attack every 20 minutes
Improving the way that asthma is managed is key to avoiding potentially fatal asthma attacks, keeping children with asthma out of hospital and helping them stay well
Early research suggests that there is a difference in the pattern and location of immune cells in lungs of children compared with those of adults. This could impact how severe asthma is managed in children.
If the team run by Prof Saglani can develop tests which can be carried out in standard laboratories then this would mean that labs and clinics wouldn’t struggle to run tests to monitor asthma’s management, should suitable criteria be established.
A better understanding of the interaction between these asthma cells in the lungs types can be understood, then this could also shed light on how a child’s asthma responds to treatment, establishing which ones are working and which needs improvement
If the team observes a patten in the activity of immune cells and other related measures, then this research could move us closer to developing a test that guides the treatment of severe asthma in children in the next 5 to 20 years and will help us improve the lifetime respiratory health of children with severe asthma.
i.e. Saglani is trying to develop a quick test (phlegm test) which could measure the expected severity of asthma or asthma attack in children.
Professor Saglani is also supervising Phd Students who are trying to isolate active ingredients in farm yard waste which helps children develop a resistance to asthma.
Why are farms such an exciting area for asthma research?
There is very good, robust data from studies that have been carried out in Bavaria in Germany looking at cattle farms where the families live close to the cowsheds. The rate of asthma and allergies in those children is far lower than in the rest of the population and that’s been reproduced not just in Germany but also in similar farms in France, Switzerland and other parts of the world. Scientists now know there’s something about being in close, constant contact with the cattle which helps protect infants from developing asthma and allergies. It’s the most reproducible finding the UK Asthma team have had in terms of what stops you from getting asthma.
A bit more detail what you will be doing in this project.
Previous studies have shown strong associations between two particular genes called ORMDL3 and GSDMB and children who wheeze in early life and go on to develop asthma. Children who carry these genes and grow up on cattle farms are far less likely to get asthma than other children with the same genes who haven’t grown up on farms. What the Professor Saglani team is trying to do is find an immunisation that prevents a gene from going rogue or mutating. To do that the research team are using farmyard dust and they are going to try and identify the bacteria in the dust that is giving the children their immunity.
The ingredient that is protecting these children from developing asthma.
Studies in Germany, has sent samples of the dust to the Saglani Research team that are believed to include the protective ingredients with all the bacteria that we need in it. This has actually been collected from the bedroom floors in the farmhouses. The German research scientists have also separately sent the Saglani team samples of what she considers to be the “likely culprits” from her research so far. It’s going to be a process of elimination. First of all the UK research team will test the dust in the lab to establish that it is protective. Then they will need to find out exactly which are the good bacteria, probably a combination of bacteria which produce the result we want. The research team will also need to work out how much of the active ingredient to give the children. If you get too many of one bacteria that’s not necessarily good for you either.
Professor Saglani going into schools
Professor Saglani has also offered to very kindly go into the JCG on the morning of the 16th March in order to giver two talks to biology students in this school. We are deeply indebted to her for her kind attention to supporting our education system.
Work carried out by JARS
I would like to also take this opportunity of stating that JARS carries out free consultation sessions each Saturday (9am to 12 am) in the Bon Sante Consulting rooms on the third floor of the Lido Medical Centre St Saviour’s Road.
The Asthma and Respiratory Information Morning is an opportunity for people of any age with asthma, COPDS or other respiratory problems to learn more about their condition on a one to one basis by talking to one of a team of friendly qualified staff.
