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Children are particularly vulnerable to air pollution, but the effects of early life exposure to acute, high-intensity pollution on later lung function remain poorly understood. We assessed the association between prenatal or infant exposure to fire-related fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from a six-week coal mine fire and subsequent lung function. 

To better characterise prematurity-associated lung disease, adult spirometry phenotype classifications (obstructive lung disease, preserved ratio impaired spirometry and dysanapsis) have been applied to children born preterm. It is unknown how these phenotypes track over time.

Research into the potential health impacts of vaping is starting to back up concerns that electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are not as benign as many people think.

Despite advances in asthma therapeutics, the burden remains highest in preschool children; therefore, it is critical to identify primary care tools that distinguish preschool children at high risk for burdensome disease for further evaluation.

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.

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.

The burden of bronchiectasis is disproportionately high in Aboriginal adults, with early mortality. Bronchiectasis precursors, that is, protracted bacterial bronchitis and chronic suppurative lung disease, often commence in early childhood.

Graham Kathryn Rachel Alana Hall Ramsey Foong Harper BAppSci PhD CRFS FANZSRS FThorSoc FERS BSc (Hons), PhD BSc (hons), PhD, MBiostat BSc (hons)

Research question: Are asthma and allergies more common in adolescents conceived with assisted reproductive technologies (ART) compared with adolescents conceived without?

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) collection is a non-invasive, safe method for measurement of biomarkers in patients with lung disease. Other methods of obtaining samples from the lungs, such as bronchoalveolar lavage, are invasive and require anaesthesia/sedation in neonates and infants. EBC is particularly appealing for assessing biomarkers in preterm-born infants, a population at risk of ongoing lung disease.