Respiratory epidemiology

What is the overall aim?
This group aims to determine the prevalence and incidence of respiratory symptoms (e.g. chronic cough), lung function impairment (obstructive and/or restrictive) and common respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in middle-aged and older adults.

What type of research do you focus on in this group?
In addition, we investigate risk factors - encompassing genetic susceptibility, environmental exposures and life style factors - for respiratory symptoms and diseases, calculate the lifetime risk and develop genetic risk scores. Lastly, we aim to elucidate the heterogeneity and the pathogenesis of asthma and COPD as well as the acute exacerbations (i.e. attacks) of these chronic airway diseases in order to delineate novel therapeutic targets and preventive strategies.

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2. Rabe KF, Nair P, Brusselle G, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Dupilumab in Glucocorticoid-Dependent Severe Asthma. New England Journal of Medicine 2018;378:2475-85
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5. Hobbs BD, de Jong K, Lamontagne M, et al. Genetic loci associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap with loci for lung function and pulmonary fibrosis. Nat Genet 2017;49:426-32.