Structural and mechanical determinants of airway hyperresponsiveness

在哮喘和慢性阻塞性肺疾病中，呼吸道狭窄的能力增加，限制了进出肺的气流，并导致疾病严重。该项目的目的是确定导致狭窄能力增加的潜在生理异常。研究的重点将放在呼吸道平滑肌和上皮层的作用上，这些层被广泛涉及到驱动狭窄反应增加的因素，但证据仍然是间接的。

In asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the capacity for airway passages to narrow is increased which limits airflow in and out of the lung and contributes to disease severity. The aim of this project is to identify the underlying physiological abnormalities producing the increased narrowing capacity. The investigations will focus on the role of the airway smooth muscle and epithelial layers that are widely implicated in driving the increased narrowing response, but for which the evidence remains circumstantial.