Respiratory researchers are set to investigate a surprising driver of poor lung health: the body's metabolism.
University of Newcastle Professor Jay Horvat, of HMRI's Immune Health Research Program, has been awarded a $1.5m Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) grant, through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), to explore one of the nation's most persistent health issues.
Australians living with both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) face some of the toughest breathing challenges and often have limited treatment options.
This group of people experiences more frequent flare-ups that require hospitalisation, poorer quality of life, and higher healthcare needs — yet research has historically focused on asthma or COPD in isolation, leaving a major gap in understanding and care.
Professor Horvat will lead a team of experts in metabolism and lung disease to explore how the body's metabolic processes influence inflammation and lung function in people who live with both asthma and COPD.
Emerging evidence shows that factors such as excess abdominal fat, higher blood sugar, and unhealthy cholesterol levels can worsen inflammation in the lungs and make breathing more difficult.
Professor Horvat said targeting metabolic factors, such as sugars or fats, that fuel immune cell inflammation, may help treat disease.
"By mapping out these connections in detail, we hope to pinpoint which metabolic changes matter most and which interventions — such as diet, lifestyle changes or targeted therapies — could offer real relief," Professor Horvat said.
"This project is about finding new ways to help a group of patients who currently have very few effective treatment options.
"If we can understand how metabolic health drives lung inflammation, we can develop better strategies to manage symptoms and improve daily life."
The study's findings could pave the way for new treatments that reduce inflammation, improve breathing, and ultimately ease the burden of chronic respiratory disease for thousands of Australians.
The project title is 'Optimising Pulmonary Therapies using ImmunoMetabolic Analyses of Lung disease: The OPTIMAL Study'. Among the team of experts are University of Newcastle's Drs Hayley Scott and Bronwyn Berthon and Professor Lisa Wood, of the HMRI Immune Health Research Program and Professor Murray Cairns, of the HMRI Precision Medicine and Health Research Program.
HMRI is a partnership between the University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Health and the community.
