Structural and mechanical determinants of airway hyperresponsiveness

在哮喘和慢性阻塞性肺病中，气道通道变窄的能力增加，这限制了进出肺部的气流，并导致疾病的严重程度。该项目的目的是确定潜在的生理异常产生的变窄能力增加。研究将集中在气道平滑肌和上皮层的作用，它们广泛涉及驱动狭窄反应的增加，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.