More than 100 people were the first to hear the very latest developments into the genetic basis of respiratory health conditions at a recent scientific event in Leicester.
At the two-day conference held at the University of Leicester, members of the public and researchers from the UK and beyond gathered to hear how advances in our scientific understanding will lead to improved treatments and outcomes for patients with a variety of lung diseases.
Professor of Genetic Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Leicester, and one of the organisers of the 2023 Respiratory Genomics conference, Martin Tobin, said: “106 people from nine different countries attended our event which gave it a truly global feel.
“Together we discussed the very latest genetic research into conditions like COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, childhood onset asthma and COVID-19, and how this knowledge is being translated into new treatments.
“We hope this sharing of knowledge and ideas will lead to even more innovation and improved patient outcomes in the future.”
Speakers included Professor Stephanie London from the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Professor Michael Cho from Harvard Medical School, Professor Gerard Koppelman from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, Dr Rob Hall from the University of Nottingham, Professor Tarja Laitinen from Tampere University Hospital in Finland, and Professor Louise Wain from the University of Leicester.
PhD student, Ritah Nabunje who presented at the conference, said: “At the Respiratory Genomics 2023 conference, diverse presentations emphasised translating genetic insights into actionable drug development strategies.
“My poster presentation garnered valuable feedback, and insightful discussions refined my research perspective. The collaborative atmosphere encouraged active engagement from researchers of all levels on the future of genomics research in respiratory health. “
For more information on respiratory research taking place in Leicester, please visit https://leicesterbrc.nihr.ac.uk/research/respiratory-and-infectious-diseases/