Asthma, Allergy and Other Respiratory Disease
The research program on allergy, asthma and other respiratory disease at the Centre for MEGA Epidemiology encompasses many projects that are externally funded. Four PhD students are currently conducting their doctoral work within these projects.
The Centre for MEGA Epidemiology, in collaboration with Monash University and the University of Tasmania, is investigating the natural history, environmental and genetic risk factors for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using a large population-based prospective study of the 1961 birth cohort enrolled in the 1968 Tasmanian Asthma Survey, their parents and siblings (see the current newsletter). This is currently funded by the NHMRC, Clifford Craig Foundation, Queensland Asthma Foundation and Victorian Asthma Foundation.
The Centre is part of an international working group investigating early-life risk factors for asthma in collaboration with Haraldsplass Hospital, Bergen, Norway and Department of Public Health Sciences, King's College London. This is a working group within the European Community Respiratory Health Survey that has been conducted in 56 centres in 28 countries including Australia. A separate collaboration with the Monash University and Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, New Zealand is investigating the association between indoor allergens poorly controlled asthma using the case control methodology.
Other Centre for MEGA Epidemiology asthma studies include a CSIRO-funded study investigating the impact of air pollutants and meteorological variables on emergency department presentations for asthma. Another before and after clinical trial on fungal avoidance to prevent asthma is just been completed with Monash University. This study is examining the effect of dehumidification on levels of indoor fungi and symptoms of asthma among atopic asthmatics.
The Centre for MEGA Epidemiology has two collaborative studies on allergy underway. The first, with colleagues at the Royal Children’s Hospital, is examining the natural history and risk factors for allergy in children who are genetically predisposed to allergy i.e. Melbourne Atopic Cohort Study. This is a prospective study conducted on a cohort of 620 atopy-prone infants from birth to ten years and is currently funded by the Victorian Asthma Foundation and the Royal Children Hospital. The second is a study of prognostic indicators for occupational contact dermatitis in collaboration with the Occupational Dermatology Research & Education Centre i.e. Skin Watch Study. This study is currently following up a cohort of 600 workers who have been diagnosed as having occupational contact dermatitis.
Participant newsletters:
T.A.S. News 2008 (pdf 552kb)
T.A.S. News 2007 (pdf 292kb)
T.A.S. News 2006 (pdf 954kb)
T.A.S. News 2005 (pdf 3.82mb)