Developmental aspects of respiratory inflammation, allergy and asthma

哮喘的发展是遗传易感性和早期生活环境暴露之间一系列复杂的相互作用。虽然许多儿童长大后不再患有哮喘，但其他儿童却没有，并发展成慢性形式的哮喘，这种疾病一直持续到成年。我们的研究包括理解为什么一些易感儿童会患上哮喘，以及为什么有些儿童会成为慢性哮喘。我们将在儿童中进行研究，以找出这种情况是如何发生的以及为什么发生的。我们研究的主要部分涉及在出生前招募的儿童队列的纵向研究。有能力研究儿童的成长和发展情况，如过敏和哮喘，使我们能够了解这些情况发生的原因，并使我们能够预测哪些儿童可能会患上这些疾病。我们的研究项目也专注于转化研究，在转化研究中，我们将利用基础科学研究的结果来开发和测试预防和治疗哮喘的新方法。这些研究将包括预防过敏发展的新方法，防止早年严重的病毒性呼吸道感染对肺部造成的损害，以及通过改进免疫治疗技术来治疗已建立的过敏性哮喘的更好方法。就其本质而言，幼儿疾病的初级预防是有争议的，并提出了一些有趣的问题。作为该计划的一部分，我们打算在公众、学术界、监管机构和工业界发起咨询和辩论。我们的方案的一个重要作用是将目前的重点从治疗既定疾病转向预防疾病的发生。这是减少哮喘等慢性病造成的健康、社会和经济负担的最佳途径。

Asthma develops as a complex series of interactions between genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures occurring in early life. While many children grow out of asthma others do not and develop the chronic form of the disease that persists into adult life. Our research involves understanding why some susceptible children develop asthma and why this becomes chronic in some. We will undertake studies in children to find out how and why this occurs. A major part of our studies involve longitudinal studies in cohorts of children recruited before birth. Having the ability to study children as they grow and develop conditions such as allergies and asthma allows us to understand why these conditions occur and allow us to predict which children are likely to develop them. Our research Program also has a solid focus on Translational Research, in which we will use the findings from our basic science studies to develop and test new methods of preventing and of treating asthma. These studies will include new methods for preventing the development of allergies, preventing the damage done to the lungs by severe viral respiratory infections in early life and better methods of treating established allergic asthma by improving immunotherapy techniques. By its very nature, primary prevention of disease in young children is controversial and raises some interesting questions. As part of this Program we intend to initiate consultation and debate in public, academic, regulatory and industry circles. An important role for our Program is shifting the current emphasis away from treatment of established disease towards preventing disease occurring. This is the best way to decrease the health, social and economic burden of chronic diseases such as asthma.