Research

RESEARCH PROJECTS

MAARA undertakes research into the causes and effects of Asthma and Allergy, and also provides grants to institutions such as Universities and Hospitals for this purpose. Some current examples of research programmes we are supporting are summarised below.

Examples of some Current Research Programmes

Methodology to quantify eosinophilic material in airway macrophages

Study update:

Asthma is characterised by inflammation of the airways mainly by cells called eosinophils. The number of these cells in sputum is used to monitor control of disease activity and also to determine the type of treatment likely to be beneficial. Macrophages – a type of scavenger cells – take up dying eosinophils to reduce the inflammation, a process enhanced by steroids. However, in the absence of sputum eosinophils it is difficult to distinguish whether these cells have not come into the airway or are entering but have been cleared because steroid treatment. It is important to understand this to decide on the type of inflammation and also therapy.

The research funded by MAARA to develop a novel technique to quantify eosinophil proteins in macrophages, has helped us in understanding how to determine ongoing eosinophilic inflammation. The method may also be used to determine the success of steroid withdrawal.

The free full text of the study can be accessed at

http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(10)00572-5/fulltext

Neeta S.Kulkarni, Fay H, Amanda S, Ruth S, Sachil S, Salman S et al. Eosinophil protein in airway macrophages: A novel biomarker of eosinophilic inflammation in patients with asthma. The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology 126[1], 61-9. 1-7-2010.

We plan to use this novel method to further understand the function of macrophages (scavenger cells) in asthma, especially in clearing pollution particles and also pathogens.

We would like to thank MAARA for supporting this project.

Dr Neeta Kulkarni, Dr Fay Hollins and Prof Christopher Brightling

The characterisation of airborne inorganic particulate matter in western Derby

MAARA has awarded Researchers at the University of Derby £6,000 to investigate air samples from the west of the city. The project is entitled: “The characterisation of airborne inorganic particulate matter in western Derby”, and involves principle investigators Professor Hugh Rollinson, Dr Jacob Adetunji and Dr Mike Greenwood, from the University’s Faculty of Education, Health and Sciences.

They are working in partnership with MAARA founder Dr Harry Morrow-Brown, holder of an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Derby, a General Medical Council Registered Specialist for Allergy and Respiratory Medicine, and still in active clinical practice.

The team will be using a forensic technique – more commonly used to examine gun shot residue – in order to analyse the air samples. For full details see the June 2010 press release.

Thunderstorms and Asthma

MAARA has been working since 2002 on thunderstorm epidemics and fungal spores in collaboration with medical consultants at Cambridge University and the Met Office; we found the fungal spore Alternaria alternata is a compelling predictor of epidemic asthma attacks in patients who suffer from seasonal asthma and grass pollen allergy, and is likely to be an important factor in thunderstorm asthma. The research was recently published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
T.B. Pulimood , J. M. Corden , C Bryden, S.M. Nasser. Epidemic asthma and the role of the fungal mould Alternaria alternata   J Allergy Clin Immunol 2007;120 (3) 610-617

Air Pollution and Asthma in Children

There is general recognition that air pollution affects children with asthma and can bring on asthma attacks. One type of air pollution is Particulate matter, minute particles of dust and other material, which is know to affect childrens' respiratory health especially in those with asthma. The study is being funded by MAARA and its aim is to assess the way that increased susceptibility to the adverse effects of particulate matter arises, with specific emphasis on developing a mechanism to test this in future.

Nut Allergy in Children

Nut Allergy is well known to affect certain children, who can suffer severe effects from eating nut products. What is less well established is an understanding of the experiences of children who are being treated or how clinicians can use this information to improve treatments. The purpose of the study, now in its initial stages, is to investigate the effects of treatments on the everyday lives of sufferers.  The aim is to provide clinicians with a better understanding of these experiences, and therefore better ability to advise children being treated on the impact of the health and food regimes on their daily lives. The study is being conducted in association with the paediatricians in Children’s Services at University Hospitals Leicester.

Aerobiology research

With help from a three year start-up grant from MAARA, a number of different ideas for novel research are being initiated at the Leicester University Aerobiology Unit. These research projects are aimed at improving current methods for understanding airborne allergens such as spores and pollens, which are involved in asthma and allergy, and the identification of allergens that are not currently recognised.

Asthma from spores in the air

Most asthma treatment relies on suppressing the effects of the disease. We would like to be able to do more about the causes. Moulds and other sorts of fungi spread by releasing tiny microscopic spores into the air. These can cause terrible asthma in some people.

To understand this much better we need to be able to tell exactly which kinds of spores we all breathe in. Unfortunately scientists do this with methods which were around in the 19th century. The main way is to look down a microscope. But many different kinds of spore look the same under the microscope. The other way is to try to grow the spores in the laboratory so that we can look at the shape of the fungus they produce. This is also crude. Worse still, lots of spores won’t grow in the lab or grow very differently from the way they do normally. So the whole business of clearing up the role of fungal spores in asthma is a mess.

MAARA is funding research at the University of Leicester to see if we can do better than that. Using the latest methods, some of them developed at the University of Leicester, our researchers are looking at the substances inside the little spores. We think there is a good chance that they will be able to come up with tests which will show exactly which kinds of spores are in the air even if lots of them look the same. They are also looking at tests for fungi inside people’s lungs and getting interesting results which may help to save lives by helping doctors give anti-fungal treatments to the right people.

How can this help someone with asthma? Understanding how diseases are caused has often saved more lives than treating the diseases after they have been caused. By understanding the fungi in the air better we hope to learn how to prevent the conditions in which they contaminate the air we breathe. Knowing whether fungi cause someone’s asthma can help us to give them advice about living conditions and when to step up their treatment or come to the hospital, and this can make a huge difference to their lives. Treatment to desensitise people to fungi has been abandoned because the scientific basis turned out to be a mess and because in most cases it did not work. With much better science this could change. If it did, it might result in what we really want but can’t provide now, a cure.

The stakes are high, but with your help MAARA is helping to make progress in asthma.

MAARA Publications

Recent Aerobiology Publications from MAARA

  • Fairs, A., Agbetile, J., Hargadon, B., Bourne, M., Monteiro, W.R., Brightling, C.E., Bradding, P., Green, R.H., Mutalithas, K., Desai, D., Pavord, I.D., Wardlaw, A.W. and Pashley, C.H. (2010). IgE sensitisation to Aspergillus fumigatus is associated with reduced lung function in asthma. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (in press)
  • Fairs, A., Thompson, J.R., Wardlaw, A.J. and Pashley, C.H. (2010). Guidelines on ambient intramural airborne fungal spores. Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology 20 (6): in press
  • Pashley, C.H., Fairs, A., Edwards, R.E., Bailey, J.P., Corden, J.M. and Wardlaw, A.J. (2009). Reproducibility between counts of airborne allergenic pollen from two cities in the East Midlands, UK. Aerobiologia 25:249-263
  • T.B. Pulimood , J. M. Corden , C Bryden, S.M. Nasser. (2007) Epidemic asthma and the role of the fungal mould Alternaria alternata J Allergy Clin Immunol 120 (3) 610-617
  • Millington W.M. and Corden J.M. (2005) Long term trends in outdoor Aspergillus/Penicillium spore concentrations in Derby, Uk from 1970to 20033 and a comparative study in 1994 and 1996 with the indoor air of two local houses. Aerobiologia 21:105-113
  • Hollins P.D., Kettlewell P.S., Atkinson M.D., Stephenson D.B., Corden J., Millington W.M., and Mullins J. (2004) Relationships between airborne fungal spore concentration of Cladosporium and the summer climate at two sites in Britain. Int J Biometeorol  48:137-141
  • Corden J.M., Millington W.M. and Mullins J. (2003) Long-term trends and regional variation in the aeroallergen Alternaria in Cardiff and Derby UK- are differences in climate and cereal production having an effect
    Aerobiologia 19: 191-199.
  • Spieksma F.Th.M., Corden J.M., Detandt M., Millington W.M., Nikkels H., Nolard N.,Schoenmakers C.H.H., Wachter R., de Weger L.A., Willems. R. & Emberlin J. (2003) Quantitative trends in annual totals of five common airborne pollen types (Betula, Quercus, Poaceae, Urtica and Artemesia), at five pollen-monitoring stations in western Europe
    Aerobiologia 19:171-184.
  • Adams-Groom B., Emberlin J., Corden J., Millington W., and Mullins J. (2002) Predicting the start of the birch pollen season at London, Derby and Cardiff, United Kingdom, using a multiple regression model, based on data from 1987-1997
    Aerobiologia 18:117-123.
  • J.M. Corden, A Stach and W.M. Millington (2002). A comparison of Betula pollen seasons at two European sites; Derby, United Kingdom and Poznan, Poland (1995-1999). Aerobiologia 18: 45-53
  • D. B. Rydall, R.G. Derwent, A. J. Manning, A.L Reddington, J. Corden, W. Millington, P.G. Simmonds, S. O'Doherty, N. Carslaw, G.W Fuller. (2002) The origin of high particulate concentrations over the United Kingdom, March 2000. Atmospheric Environment 36: 1363-1378.
  • Corden J.M. and Millington W.M.(2001) The long term trends and seasonal variation of the aeroallergen Alternaria in Derby, UK. Aerobiologia 17:127-136.
  • Lewis S., Corden J., Forster G.E., Newlands M. (2000) Combined effects of aerobiological pollutants, chemical pollutants and meteorological conditions on asthma admissions and A & E attendances in Derbyshire UK, 1993-1996. Clin Exp. Allergy 30 1724-1732.
  • Newson R., Strachan D., Corden J., and Millington W.  (2000) Fungal and other spore counts as predictors of asthma admissions in the Trent region. .Occup Environ Med 57:786-792.
  • Corden J., Millington W., Bailey J., Brookes M., Caulton E., Emberlin J., Mullins. Simpson C, and Wood A. (2000) UK Regional Variations in Betula pollen (1993-1997) Aerobiologia 16: 227-232.
  • Stern M.A., Allitt U., Corden J., Millington W. (1999) The Investigation of Fungal Spores in Intramural Air Using a Burkard Continuous Recording Air Sampler. Indoor Built Environment. 8: 40-48.
  • Corden J and Millington W (1999) A study of Quercus pollen in the Derby area Aerobiologia 15 29 29-37
  • Emberlin J, Mullins J, Corden J, Jones S, Millington W, Brooke M, Savage M (1999) Regional variations in grass pollen seasons in the UK long term trend and forecast models  Clin Exp. Allergy 29 347-356
  • Emberlin, J. Mullins, J. Corden, J. Millington, W. Brooke, M. Savage, M. and Jones, S. (1997) The trend to earlier Birch pollen seasons in the U.K.: A biotic response to changes in weather conditions?. Grana 36, 29-33.
  • Ross AM, Corden JM, Fleming DM (1996) The role of oak pollen in hayfever consultations and the factors influencing patients decisions to consult British Journal of General Practice 46 451-455