Ellen Forty

If you work in respiratory research take a look 👀 at our Thorax editorial doi.org/10.1136/thor... 📖 to align your research interests with the Lung Research Grand Challenges, + read how this ambitous initiative can knit together our field into something greater than the sum of its parts. 👇

Did I hear this right this morning at #ERS2025?! Targeting sonic hedgehog 🦔 pathway indicating impact on regressing fibrosis in IPF 🎉 scurrying off to read the new paper on this phase 2 RCT…👀

Study finds singing these three songs could help treat lung disease Researchers may have found a safe and effective treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interstitial lung disease (ILD)

Attended this session yesterday at #ERS2025 - benefits of singing 🎶 for chronic lung conditions - great to see RCT approach demonstrating empirically the positive impact non-pharmacological approaches can have for patients. Even better ton include ILD patients! www.independent.co.uk/news/health/...

Really excited to attend fantastic ILD session this morning #ERS2025. Featuring a great talk by my previous lab supervisor (delighted to still get to see my name acknowledged on screen! 🤓). Underlying message from session was remaining need for magic drug ✨✨💊that can actually stop ILD progression

It’s been ~10 years since landmark antifibrotics became available for pulmonary fibrosis (which isn’t much longer than I’ve been out of active research) and this slide at #ERS2025 really struck me. Intolerability of existing drugs needs to drive forward better treatments for IPF patients 🫁💊

Science at #ERS2025 starting off strong, sharing the hidden burden of undiagnosed airway disease 👇🏻Shockingly the majority of these hidden patients already have advanced lung disease. We need more research in this area to help end the #DiagnosisDelay

Factors other than smoking are bigger drivers of the global COPD burden. Urgent need to study broader factors such as air pollution. #ERS2025

Excited to be en route to #ERS2025 congress in Amsterdam 🇳🇱 to hear the latest discoveries in lung science gathering intel for @asthmaandlung.org.uk. Harking back to this pic from the last time I attended this conference👇🏻, presenting my own work 9 years ago (almost to the day!) 😱🫁

Acurate and timely diagnosis is fundamental for patients, but also crucial to facilitate the research pipeline. Without optimal diagnostics we can't identify people to receive future transformative treatments, or intervene with innovative stratgies to prevent occurence and worsening of disease.

Right now, thousands of people are struggling to breathe while they wait for a diagnosis. This delay can be catastrophic, we can change that. We’re on a mission to get fast, accurate diagnoses for people with lung conditions. #DiagnosisDelay

Find out more information: bit.ly/4peMHM0

Just one week to go 📣 until the
@asthmaandlung.org.uk and Our Future Health webinar (10 June, 12-2pm BST). Respiratory researchers join us to hear about the UK’s largest health research programme and how it can be part of your work. Register here ➡️http://bit.ly/43JEFRg

Better treatment options for respiratory conditions depend on clinical trials ➡️ Clinical trials depend on research volunteers ➡️ Sign up to #BePartOfResearch with @nihr.bsky.social to help transform lung 🫁 health for everyone. Especially pertinent in the week of #InternationalClinicalTrialsDay!

Respiratory researchers 📣 join @asthmaandlung.org.uk and Our Future Health on 10 June (12-2pm) to find out how the UK’s largest health research programme can help your work. Dr Samantha Walker will be sharing why connected health data is important for research progress. Register here ➡️ orlo.uk/f7dYg

a close up of a man 's face with the words challenge accepted written on it ALT: a close up of a man 's face with the words challenge accepted written on it

Respiratory researchers watch this space for more on the grand challenges set by the Lung Research and Innovation Group!

Research is bridging the gap between everyday health and science From exploring the genetic cues behind asthma to studying how air pollution affects the lungs, research is leading the way to better lung health.

Great blog from the R&I team at @asthmaandlung.org.uk highlighting why we patients deserve more research that delivers better diagnostics, curative treatments and support to prevent worsening of their lung condition www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/blog/researc...

Mutated DNA Restored to Normal in Gene Therapy Advance (Gift Article) The small study in patients with a rare disorder that causes liver and lung damage showed the potential for precisely targeted infusions.

This feels like an exciting step towards an actual cure for the (rare) alpha-1 anti trypsin deficiency, which causes significant lung damage. Watching the next phase of trial intently! www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/h...

The role of wheezing subtypes in the development of early childhood asthma - Respiratory Research Background Early childhood wheezing is associated with asthma risk at later ages, emphasizing the need for understanding wheezing patterns and their implications for asthma development. Methods Childr...

When the 2 facets of my life collide! Professional interest in respiratory disease 🫁 vs being parent 👩‍👦 of an under-5 who I *think* is a wheezy preschooler - makes me anxious but informed. Either way its a step in the right direction respiratory-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

But yet exciting things are happening already in this area, with the article highlighting Insilico Medicine’s positive phase II trial results with a drug candidate generated using AI showing efficacy improving forced vital capacity in Iung fibrosis patients 💊🫁

Challenges include AI accessing big enough datasets (could we be harnessing major biobanks for this?), lack of standard methodologies and unsurprisingly (as this is a common theme holding back scientific progress) publication bias causing lack of negative results as AI training material

Four ways to power-up AI for drug discovery Insights from artificial intelligence could eventually transform drug development, if the quality and quantity of biological and chemical data can be improved.

Whilst it feels like my eyeballs are inundated with mentions of the capabilities of AI in all areas of my life, this Nature Outlook article beautifully summarises and educates on the challenges still to overcome for use of AI in drug discovery. www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Scientists develop ‘smart pyjamas’ to monitor sleep disorders Researchers have developed comfortable, washable ‘smart pyjamas’ that can monitor sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea at home, without the need for sticky

Starting the week reading about some positive research for those with sleep apnoea. A team at Uni of Cambridge have developped this neat tech which can remotely monitor those with sleep disorders - smart pyjamas! 🛏️💤🫁 www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...

New UK-Wide Centre to address growing respiratory health crisis New UK-wide Centre for Applied Respiratory Research, Innovation and Impact (CARRii) launches at Oxford, aiming to reduce hospital admissions and health inequalities in respiratory care through innovat...

🔬 Launching today: A major new UK-wide respiratory research centre led by our Head of Department, Prof Sir Aziz Sheikh & Prof Chris Griffiths of @qmul.ac.uk .

CARRii aims to tackle the UK's urgent respiratory health crisis & reduce inequalities. Learn more ⬇️

Innovation isn't accidental! The future of respiratory health depends on it. This piece from @wellcometrust.bsky.social highlights why bold, sustained funding in health research is essential. 🧵👇
bsky.app/profile/well...

I just can't get over how crazily-interesting these findings are 👇 lung cancer cells taking on neurological function 🤯

Lung cancer cells can go ‘off grid’ Researchers from the Francis Crick Institute have found that some particularly aggressive lung cancer cells can develop their own electric network, like that seen in the body’s nervous system. This un...

Crick researchers have found that certain aggressive lung cancer cells can develop their own electric network, similar to the body’s nervous system.

This can allow tumour cells to go ‘off grid,’ making them harder to treat.
www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-02...

Yikes! #notanotherone :(

Hi everyone 👋 We’re Asthma + Lung UK and we’re here to help fight for everyone’s right to breath!

From research + campaigning to advice + support, we’re the UK’s leading lung charity.

Find out more about what we do: asthmaandlung.org.uk