Kathryn Ramsey
Co-Head, Children's Lung Health
BSc (Hons), PhD
kathryn.ramsey@thekids.org.au
Associate Professor Kathryn Ramsey is a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Emerging Leader (EL2) Fellow and Co-Head of Children’s Lung Health at The Kids Research Institute Australia.
Kathryn received her PhD in 2013 from the University of Western Australia and began her postdoctoral career in the longitudinal surveillance of infants and children with cystic fibrosis at The Kids Research Institute Australia. She was awarded an NHMRC Early Career Research Fellowship in 2015 to undertake research training in airway mucus biology at the University of North Carolina, USA. She then received a Swiss National Science Foundation Ambizione Fellowship in 2017 to lead the follow-up of a national cystic fibrosis cohort at the University of Bern, Switzerland.
She returned to The Kids Research Institute Australia in 2021 to co-lead the Children’s Lung Health team. Kathryn leads a translational research program to understand disease pathophysiology and improve outcomes in children with muco-obstructive lung diseases, including cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, and primary ciliary dyskinesia.
Find Kathryn on ORCID
Projects
WA Aboriginal Child Health Survey (WAACHS) Data Linkage Study
This study is a partnership between researchers, the Aboriginal community and government to provide evidence for policy and practice addressing high priority health and wellbeing issues for Aboriginal children and families.
Kids Easy Breathing Study
As both bronchiolitis and bronchiectasis are diseases of the airway surface, we will comprehensively study the airway surface and factors affecting the airway surface in infants hospitalised with bronchiolitis.
October 2023
Western Australia Paediatric Bronchiectasis Cohort
Bronchiectasis is a chronic lung disease that impairs quality of life and reduces life expectancy.
Published research
Early nasal microbiota and subsequent respiratory tract infections in infants with cystic fibrosis
Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) drive lung function decline in children with cystic fibrosis (CF). While the respiratory microbiota is clearly associated with RTI pathogenesis in infants without CF, data on infants with CF is scarce. We compared nasal microbiota development between infants with CF and controls and assessed associations between early-life nasal microbiota, RTIs, and antibiotic treatment in infants with CF.
Cohort profile: The WAACHS Linked Data Study
Despite the volume of accumulating knowledge from prospective Aboriginal cohort studies, longitudinal data describing developmental trajectories in health and well-being is limited.
Lung structural and functional impairments in young children with cystic fibrosis diagnosed following newborn screening – A nationwide observational study
Non-invasive and sensitive clinical endpoints are needed to monitor onset and progression of early lung disease in children with cystic fibrosis (CF). We compared lung clearance index (LCI), FEV1, functional and structural lung magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes in Swiss children with CF diagnosed following newborn screening.
Simultaneous multiple breath washout and oxygen-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in healthy adults
Lung function testing and lung imaging are commonly used techniques to monitor respiratory diseases, such as cystic fibrosis (CF). The nitrogen (N2) multiple-breath washout technique (MBW) has been shown to detect ventilation inhomogeneity in CF, but the underlying pathophysiological processes that are altered are often unclear.
European Respiratory Society/American Thoracic Society technical statement: standardisation of the measurement of lung volumes, 2023 update
This document updates the 2005 European Respiratory Society (ERS) and American Thoracic Society (ATS) technical standard for the measurement of lung volumes. The 2005 document integrated the recommendations of an ATS/ERS task force with those from an earlier National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute workshop that led to the publication of background papers between 1995 and 1999 and a consensus workshop report with more in-depth descriptions and discussion.
Arsenic and respiratory disease
Arsenic is the only environmental toxin that has been linked to both malignant and nonmalignant respiratory disease following ingestion, rather than inhalation, making arsenic a unique toxicant to the respiratory system. Chronic exposure to arsenic has been associated with the development of respiratory symptoms, impaired lung function, and chronic lung disease.
Feasibility of unsedated lung MRI in young children with cystic fibrosis
Monitoring disease progression in childhood bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis (not related to cystic fibrosis) is a chronic lung disease caused by a range of etiologies but characterized by abnormal airway dilatation, recurrent respiratory symptoms, impaired quality of life and reduced life expectancy.
Normative data for multiple breath washout outcomes in school-aged Caucasian children
The multiple breath nitrogen washout (N2MBW) technique is increasingly used to assess the degree of ventilation inhomogeneity in school-aged children with lung disease. However, reference values for healthy children are currently not available.
Normative multiple-breath washout data in school-aged children corrected for sensor error
Quality of life is poorly correlated to lung disease severity in school-aged children with cystic fibrosis
There is no data exclusively on the relationship between health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) and lung disease severity in early school-aged children with cystic fibrosis (CF). Using data from the Australian Respiratory Early Surveillance Team for Cystic Fibrosis (AREST CF) we assessed the relationships between HRQOL, lung function and structure.
Preschool Multiple-Breath Washout Testing. An Official American Thoracic Society Technical Statement
Consensus recommendations are outlined to direct preschool device design, test performance, and data analysis for the MBW technique
The clinical utility of lung clearance index in early cystic fibrosis lung disease is not impacted by the number of multiple-breath washout trials
This study aimed to determine if relationships between LCI and clinical outcomes of CF lung disease differ when only two acceptable MBW trials are assessed.
Effect of posture on lung ventilation distribution and associations with structure in children with cystic fibrosis
Background: We assessed the effect of posture on ventilation distribution and the impact on associations with structural lung disease.
Multiple-breath washout outcomes are sensitive to inflammation and infection in children with cystic fibrosis
The lung clearance index may be a useful surveillance tool for monitoring the presence and extent of lower airway inflammation and infection
Air trapping in early cystic fibrosis lung disease-Does CT tell the full story?
Mosaic attenuation on expiratory chest computed tomography (CT) is common in early life cystic fibrosis (CF) and often referred to as "air trapping"
End-inspiratory molar mass step correction for analysis of infant multiple breath washout tests
We aimed to evaluate the use of the EIMM-step method in a broad range of infants.
A systematic approach to multiple breath nitrogen washout test quality
The application of the systematic review improved inter-observer agreement but did not affect reported multiple breath washout outcomes
Lung Clearance Index and Structural Lung Disease on Computed Tomography in Early Cystic Fibrosis
Lung clearance index may be a useful surveillance tool to monitor structural lung disease in preschool and school-age children with cystic fibrosis
Impact of lung disease on respiratory impedance in young children with cystic fibrosis
The present study investigated whether lung function measured by forced oscillation technique would be impaired in the presence of infection,...
Progressive ventilation inhomogeneity in infants with cystic fibrosis after pulmonary infection
This study aimed to determine how pulmonary inflammation & infection impacts on ventilation distribution throughout early life in people with cystic fibrosis.
Early respiratory infection is associated with reduced spirometry in children with cystic fibrosis
We hypothesized that the presence of these markers of cystic fibrosis lung disease in the first 2 years of life would be associated with reduced lung...
Other publications
Original research
- Salem Y, Oestreich M, Fuchs O, Usemann J, Frey U, Surbek D, Amylidi-Mohr S, Latzin P, Ramsey KA, Yammine S (2021) Are children born by cesarean section at higher risk for respiratory sequelae?, American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, In Press, Accepted 3 August 2021
- Wyler F, Oestereich M, Frauchiger B, Ramsey KA, Latzin P (2021) Correction of sensor crosstalk error in Exhalyzer D multiple-breath washout device significantly impacts outcomes in children with cystic fibrosis, Journal of Applied Physiology, In Press, Accepted 26 July 2021.
- Kurs J, Ramsey KA, Rodriguez R, Spycher B, Biner R, Latzin P, Singer F (2021) Association of lung clearance index with survival in individuals with cystic fibrosis, European Respiratory Journal, In Press, Accepted 28 June 2021.
- Oestreich M, Wyler F, Latzin P, Ramsey KA (2021) Shedding light into the black box of infant multiple-breath washout, Pediatric Pulmonology, In Press, Accepted 9 May 2021.
- Korten I, Oestreich M, Frey U, Moeller A, Jung A, Spinas R, Mueller-Suter D, Trachsel D, Rochat I, Spycher B, Latzin P, Casaulta C, Ramsey KA (2021) Respiratory symptoms do not reflect functional impairment in early cystic fibrosis lung disease, Journal of Cystic Fibrosis, In Press, Accepted 14 April 2021.
- Frauchiger BS, Binggeli S, Yammine S, Spycher B, Krüger L, Ramsey KA, Latzin P (2021) Longitudinal Course of Clinical Lung Clearance Index in Children with Cystic Fibrosis, European Respiratory Journal, 58:2002686.
- Frauchiger, BS, Carlens, J, Herger, A, Moeller, A, Latzin, P, Ramsey, KA (2021) Multiple breath washout quality control in the clinical setting. Pediatric Pulmonology, 56: 105– 112.
- Willers C, Bauman G, Andermatt S, Robin S, Sandkühler R, Ramsey KA, Cattin P, Bieri O, Pusterla O, Latzin P (2020) The impact of segmentation on whole‐lung functional MRI quantification: Repeatability and reproducibility from multiple human observers and an artificial neural network, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 85: 1079– 1092.
- Ramsey KA, Chen AC, Radicioni G, Lourie R, Martin M, Broomfield A, Sheng YH, Hasnain SZ, Radford-Smith G, Simms L, Burr L, Thornton DJ, Bowler SD, Livengood S, Ceppe A, Knowles MR, Donaldson SH, Hill DB, Ehre C, Button B, Alexis NE, Kesimer M, Boucher RC, McGuckin MA (2020) Airway mucus dehydration in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 201(6): 661–670.
- Anagnostopoulou P, Latzin P, Jensen R. Stahl M. Harper A. Yammine S. Usemann J. Foong RE, Spycher B, Hall GL, Singer F, Stanojevic S, Mall M, Ratjen F, Ramsey KA (2020) Normative data for multiple breath washout outcomes in school-aged Caucasian children, European Respiratory Journal, 55: 1901302.
- Gorlanova O, Appenzeller R, Mahmoud YS, Ramsey KA, Usemann J, Decrue F, Kuehni CE, Röösli M, Latzin P, Fuchs O, Soti A, Frey U (2020) Effect of breastfeeding duration on lung function, respiratory symptoms and allergic diseases in school-age children, Pediatric Pulmonology, 55(6):1448-1455.
- Markovetz MR, Subramani DB, Kissner WJ, Morrison CB, Garbarine IC, Ghio A, Ramsey KA, Arora H, Kumar PA, Nix DB, Kumagai T, Krunkosky TM, Krause DC, Radicioni G, Alexis NE, Kesimer M, Tiemeyer M, Boucher RC, Ehre C, Hill DB (2019) Endotracheal Tube Mucus as a Source of Airway Mucus for Rheological Study, American Journal of Physiology: Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, 317(4): L498-L509.
- Esther CR, Muhlebach MS, Ehre C, Hill DB, Wolfgang MC, Kesimer M, Ramsey KA, Markovetz MR, Garbarine IC, Forest MG, Seim I, Zorn B, Morrison CB, Delion MF, Thelin WR, Villalon D, Sabater JR, Turkovic L, Ranganathan S, Stick SM, Boucher RC (2019) Mucus accumulation in the lungs precedes structural changes and infection in children with cystic fibrosis, Science Translational Medicine, 11: 3488.
- Allemann A, Krämer J, Korten I, Ramsey KA, Casaulta C, Wüthrich D, Ramette A, Endimiani A, Latzin P, Hilty M (2019) Nasal resistome development in infants with cystic fibrosis in the first year of life, Frontiers Microbiology, 10: 212.
- Zannin E, Nyilas S, Ramsey KA, Latzin P, Dellaca R (2019) Within-breath changes in respiratory system impedance in children with cystic fibrosis, Pediatric Pulmonology, 54: 737–742.
- Yammine S, Ramsey KA, Skoric B, King L, Latzin P, Rosenow T, Hall G, Ranganathan S (2019) Single-breath washout and association with structural lung disease in children with cystic fibrosis, Pediatric Pulmonology, 54: 587-594.
- Nyilas S, Bauman G, Pusterla O, Ramsey KA, Singer F, Stranzinger E, Yammine S, Casaulta C, Bieri O, Latzin P (2019) Ventilation and perfusion assessed by functional MRI in children with cystic fibrosis: reproducibility in comparison to lung function, Journal of Cystic Fibrosis, 18(4): 543-550.
- Korten I, Ramsey KA, Mika M, Usemann J, Frey U, Hilty M, Latzin P (2018) Nasal Microbiota and Respiratory Tract Infections: The Role of Viral Detection, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 199: 919-922.
- Nyilas S, Bauman G, Pusterla O, Sommer G, Singer F, Stranzinger E, Heyer C, Ramsey KA, Schlegtendal A, Benzrath S, Casaulta C, Goutaki M, Kuehni C, Bieri O, Koerner-Rettberg, C, Latzin P (2018) Structural and Functional Lung Impairment in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia, Annals ATS, 15 (12): 1434-1442.
- Nyilas S, Bigler A, Yammine S, Kieninger E, Rochat I, Ramsey KA, Casaulta C, Moeller A, Latzin P, Singer F (2018) Alternate gas washout indices: Assessment of ventilation inhomogeneity in mild to moderate pediatric cystic fibrosis lung disease, Pediatric Pulmonology, 53: 1485-1491.
- Korten I, Kieninger E, Yammine S, Regamey N, Nyilas S, Ramsey KA, Casaulta C, Latzin P (2018) The Swiss Cystic Fibrosis Infant Lung Development Cohort (SCILD), Swiss Medical Weekly, 148: 14618.
- Robinson PD, Latzin P, Ramsey KA, Stanojevic S, Aurora P, Davis S, Gappa M, Hall GL, Horsley A, Jensen R, Lum S, Milla C, Nielsen KG, Pittman JE, Rosenfeld M, Singer F, Subbarao P, Gustaffson PM, Ratjen F (2018) Preschool multiple-breath washout testing: An official American Thoracic Society technical statement, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 197 (5): e1-19.
- Lenherr N, Ramsey KA, Jost K, Hornwall L, Singer F, Yammine S, Latzin P (2018) Leaks during multiple-breath washout: characterisation and influence on outcomes, European Respiratory Journal Open Research, 4: 00012-2017.
- Foong RE, Harper AJ, Skoric B, King L, Turkovic L, Davis M, Clem CC, Rosenow T, Davis SD, Ranganathan S, Hall GL, Ramsey KA (2018) The clinical utility of lung clearance index in early cystic fibrosis lung disease is not impacted by the number of multiple-breath washout trials, European Respiratory Journal Open Research, 4: 00094-2017.
- Ramsey KA, McGirr C, Stick SM, Hall GL Simpson SJ (2017) Effect of posture on lung ventilation distribution and associations with structure in children with cystic fibrosis, Journal of Cystic Fibrosis, 6: 713-718.
- Rosenow T, Ramsey KA, Turkovic L, Murray CP, Mok C, Hall GL, Stick SM (2017) Air trapping in early cystic fibrosis lung disease – does CT tell the full story? Pediatric Pulmonology, 52(9): 1150-1156.
- Ramsey KA, Foong RE, Grdosic J, Harper A, Skoric B, Clem C, Davis M, Turkovic L, Stick SM, Davis SD, Ranganathan SC, Hall GL (2017) Multiple breath washout outcomes are sensitive to inflammation and infection in children with cystic fibrosis, Annals of ATS, 14(9): 1436-1442.
- Foong RE, Harper AJ, Hall GL, Ramsey KA (2017) The effect of 100% oxygen on tidal breathing parameters in preschool children, European Respiratory Journal, 49: 1601959
- Ramsey KA, Hart E, Turkovic L, Padros-Goossens M, Stick S, Ranganathan S (2016) Respiratory infection rates differ between geographically distant paediatric cystic fibrosis cohorts. European Respiratory Journal Open Research, 2(3): 00014.
- Jensen R, Stanojevic S, Klingel M, Pizarro ME, Hall GL, Ramsey KA, Foong R, Saunders C, Robinson PD, Webster H, Hardaker K, Kane M, Ratjen F (2016) A Systematic Approach to Multiple Breath Nitrogen Washout Test Quality. PLoS One, 11(6).
- Foong RE, Rosenow T, Simpson SJ, Stoklin B, Gray D, Pillow JJ, Hall GL, Ramsey KA (2016) End-inspiratory molar mass step correction for analysis of infant multiple breath washout tests. Pediatric Pulmonology, 52 (1): 10-13.
- Ramsey KA, Rushton ZL, Ehre C (2016) Mucin Agarose Gel Electrophoresis: Western Blotting for High-Molecular-Weight Glycoproteins, Journal of Visualized Experiments, 112.
- Ramsey KA, Ranganathan S, Gangell C, Turkovic L, Park J, Skoric B, Stick S, Sly P, Hall GL (2015), Impact of lung disease on respiratory impedance in young children with cystic fibrosis, European Respiratory Journal, 46(6): 1672-1679.
- Simpson SJ, Ranganathan S, Park J, Turkovic L, Robins-Browne R, Skoric B, Ramsey KA, Rosenow T, Banton GL, Berry L, Stick SM, Hall GL (2015) Progressive ventilation inhomogeneity in infants with cystic fibrosis after pulmonary infection. European Respiratory Journal, 46(6): 1680-1690.
- Ramsey KA, Rosenow T, Turkovic L, Skoric B, Banton G, Adams AM, Simpson SJ, Murray C, Ranganathan SC, Stick SM, Hall GL (2015), Lung Clearance Index and Structural Lung Disease on Computed Tomography in Early Cystic Fibrosis. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 193: 60-67.
- Ramsey KA, Ranganathan S, Park J, Skoric B, Adams AM, Simpson SJ, Robins-Browne RM, Franklin PJ, de Klerk NH, Sly PD, Stick SM, Hall GL (2014) Early respiratory infection is associated with reduced spirometry in children with cystic fibrosis, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 190: 1111-1116.
- Ramsey KA, Foong RE, Larcombe AN, Sly PD, Zosky GR (2013) Early life arsenic exposure and the acute and long term responses to influenza A infection in mice, Environmental Health Perspectives, 121: 1187-1193.
- Ramsey KA, Bosco A, McKenna KL, Carter KW, Elliot JG, Berry LJ, Larcombe AN, Sly PD, Zosky GR (2013) In utero exposure to arsenic alters lung development and genes related to immune and mucociliary function in mice, Environmental Health Perspectives, 121: 244–250.
- Ramsey KA, Larcombe AN, Sly PD, Zosky GR (2013) In utero exposure to low dose arsenic via drinking water impairs early life lung mechanics in mice, BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology, 14: 13.
- Ramsey KA, Bakker AJ, Pinniger GJ (2010) Fibre type dependence of stretch induced force enhancement in mammalian skeletal muscle, Muscle and Nerve Journal, 42: 769-777.
Editorials/letters
- Singer F, Ramsey KA, Latzin P (2018) Effect of intermittent inspiratory leaks on measurement of lung clearance index using nitrogen and sulfur hexafluoride, European Respiratory Journal Open Res, 4(4) 00140-2018.
- Ramsey KA, Ratjen F, Latzin L (2017) Elucidating progression of early cystic fibrosis lung disease, European Respiratory Journal, 50: 1701916.
Invited reviews
- Oestreich M, Willers C, Ramsey KA (2021) Early surveillance of infants and preschool children with cystic fibrosis, Current Opinion in Physiology, In Press, Accepted 20 May 2021.
- Korten I, Ramsey KA, Latzin P (2017) Air pollution during pregnancy and lung development in the child, Paediatric Respiratory Reviews, 21: 38-46.
- Ramsey KA, Shultz A, Stick S (2015) Biomarkers in paediatric cystic fibrosis lung disease, Paediatric Respiratory Reviews, 16(4): 213-218.
- Ramsey KA, Ranganathan S (2014) Interpretation of lung function in infants and young children with cystic fibrosis. Respirology, 19: 792-799.
- Ramsey KA, Foong RE, Zosky GR (2013) Emerging early life environmental exposures and lung development, Journal of Environmental Immunology and Toxicology, 1(3): 118-127.
Book chapters
- Ramsey KA, Fuchs O, Singer F (2018) Assessing respiratory function in preschool children with cystic fibrosis, In Early Cystic Fibrosis Years, Editors: Kevin Southern and Kris De Boeck, European Cystic Fibrosis Society.
- Ramsey KA (2014) Arsenic and respiratory disease, In Handbook of Arsenic Toxicology, Editor: Flora SJS, Elsevier.
Education and Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science (Human Biology) - Curtin University
- Honours in Physiology - University of Western Australia
- PhD in Respiratory Physiology - University of Western Australia
Awards/Honours
- NHMRC Emerging Leadership 2 Investigator Grant (2024-2028)
- European Respiratory Society Task Force Funding (2020-2023)
- Vertex Cystic Fibrosis Innovation Grant (2020-2021)
- Swiss National Science Foundation Ambizione Research Fellowship (2017-2020)
- North American Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Pilot and Feasibility Award (2016-2018)
- NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (2015 - 2017)
- Co-Chair, European Respiratory Society Taskforce ‘Developing Global Lung Function Initiative Reference Equations for Multiple Breath Washout’ (2020-)
- American Thoracic Society / European Respiratory Society Taskforce, ‘Updated Technical Standards for the Measurement of Lung Volumes’ (2020-2023)
- Chair, European Respiratory Society Infant and Preschool Lung Function Special Interest Group (2018-2020)
- American Thoracic Society Taskforce ‘Preschool Multiple-Breath Washout Testing Technical Statement’ (2015-2018)
Active Collaborations
- Prof Richard Boucher, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
- Prof Philipp Latzin, University of Bern, SwitzerlandProf
- Alex Horsley, University of Manchester, UK
- A/Prof Sanja Stanojevic, Dalhousie University, Canada
- Prof Sarath Ranganathan, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
- Prof Andre Schultz, BREATH Team, The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Prof Graham Hall, Honorary Researcher, The Kids Research Institute Australia