In research I have authored over 80 publications, current research interests are lung neuro-immune, mechanisms and remote monitoring in chronic disease.I  have served on grant review panels nationally and internationally.

Research Themes

Relationship of use of therapy to outcomes in respiratory disease

This work is addressing questions on how, why and when patients use inhalers. Methods include a novel audio based device to assess adherence along with other physiological measures, in longitudinally followed cohorts of patients with COPD and asthma while in hospital, after discharge and when visiting outpatients or GP or pharmacist.  

Establishing profile of risk of future control of asthma

This work is addressing why some patients achieve sustained asthma control while others develop exacerbations. What features of the treatment, the environment or the individual determine future exacerbations? Given that every prescription is written for the future how does the physician know what will happen, when will the next asthma attack or loss of asthma control occur?

Addressing the practical difficulties of the inhaler treatment of asthma and COPD

Where and how is the best way to train in inhaler use, what do you need to do to maximize the benefits of a prescribed inhaler? Why does training not work? Methods include novel methods of assessing and training in inhaler medicine use.

Comparative effectiveness: Do patients with severe asthma need extra treatment ?

How can you tell if someone needs more medicine or better medicine or instruction in how and when to take their apparently ineffective medicine? How can you tell which is more effective?

The role of airways nerves in asthma

Is there a difference in the innervation of the airways of patients with asthma and COPD compared to healthy controls? Is there a method of longitudinally measuring cough that also can assess the site of the cough and assess the impairment caused by weak or inefficient cough? Methods include novel methods of longitudinally assessing cough and measuring the neural innervation in biopsy obtained sections of airway.