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Prof Sir Stephen Holgate

BSc, MB, BS, MD, DSc, CSc (Hon), FRCP, FRCP (Edin), FRCPath, FRSB, FIBMS, FERS, FAAAI, FACAAI, FFPH, MAE, FMedSci, CBE

MRC Clinical Professor of Immunopharmacology; Honorary Consultant Physician; UKRI Clean Air Champion

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sth@soton.ac.uk (PA: Christine Vincent, cav@soton.ac.uk)

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Stephen has utilised many approaches to study the pathophysiology and treatment of asthma, which has informed guidelines on asthma management and identified/validated novel therapeutic targets. 


He has published >1000 peer review outputs (h index 181). He is cofounder of Synairgen to develop inhaled interferon beta for viral respiratory diseases. He is a past president of the BSACI, BTS, BALR and CIA. He has been Chair of PSMB, TRG and Member of MRC and NERC Strategy Boards, is a member of NERC and Special Advisor to the RCP on Air Quality. He was appointed CBE in 2011 (Clinical Science) and Knighted in 2020 (Medical Research).

Landmark publications:


1. Beasley R, Roche WR, Roberts JA, Holgate ST. Cellular events in the bronchi in mild asthma and after bronchial provocation. American Review of Respiratory Disease*. 1989; 139: 806-17. * Renamed American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine in 1993.


2. Djukanović R, Wilson JW, Britten KM, Wilson SJ, Walls AF, Roche WR, Howarth PH, Holgate ST. Effect of an inhaled corticosteroid on airway inflammation and symptoms in asthma. American Review of Respiratory Disease*. 1992; 145: 669-74. * Renamed American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine in 1993.


3. Xiao C, Puddicombe SM, Field S, Haywood J, Broughton-Head V, Puxeddu I, Haitchi HM, Vernon-Wilson E, Sammut D, Bedke N, Cremin C, Sones J, Djukanović R, Howarth PH, Collins JE, Holgate ST, Monk P, Davies DE. Defective epithelial barrier function in asthma. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2011; 128: 549-56.


4. Johnston SL, Pattemore PK, Sanderson G, Smith S, Lampe F, Josephs L, Symington P, O'Toole S, Myint SH, Tyrrell DA, Holgate ST. Community study of role of viral infections in exacerbations of asthma in 9-11-year-old children. British Medical Journal. 1995; 310: 1225-9.


5. Fraenkel DJ, Bardin PG, Sanderson G, Lampe F, Johnston SL, Holgate ST. Lower airways inflammation during rhinovirus colds in normal and in asthmatic subjects. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 1995; 151: 879-86.


6. Wark PA, Johnston SL, Bucchieri F, Powell R, Puddicombe S, Laza-Stanca V, Holgate ST, Davies DE. Asthmatic bronchial epithelial cells have a deficient innate immune response to infection with rhinovirus. Journal of Experimental Medicine. 2005; 201: 937-47.


7. Djukanović R, Harrison T, Johnston SL, Gabbay F, Wark P, Thomson NC, Niven R, Singh D, Reddel HK, Davies DE, Marsden R, Boxall C, Dudley S, Plagnol V, Holgate ST, Monk P; INTERCIA Study Group. The effect of inhaled IFN-β on worsening of asthma symptoms caused by viral infections. A randomized trial. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2014; 190: 145-54.


8. Monk PD, Marsden RJ, Tear VJ, Brookes J, Batten TN, Mankowski M, Gabbay FJ, Davies DE, Holgate ST, Ho LP, Clark T, Djukanovic R, Wilkinson TMA; Inhaled Interferon Beta COVID-19 Study Group. Safety and efficacy of inhaled nebulised interferon beta-1a (SNG001) for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial. Lancet Respiratory Medicine. 2021; 9: 196-206.


9. Brunekreef B, Holgate ST. Air pollution and health. Lancet. 2002; 3601: 233-42.


10. MT Krishna, J Madden, LM Teran, GL Biscione, LC Lau, NJ Withers, T Sandstrom, I Mudway, FJ Kelly, A Walls, AJ Frew, ST Holgate. Effects of 0.2 ppm ozone on biomarkers of inflammation in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and bronchial mucosa of healthy subjects. European Respiratory Journal. 1998; 11: 1294-300.


11. Blomberg A, Krishna MT, Bocchino V, Biscione GL, Shute JK, Kelly FJ, Frew AJ, Holgate ST, Sandström T. The inflammatory effects of 2 ppm NO2 on the airways of healthy subjects. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 1997; 156: 418-24


12. Chauhan AJ, Inskip HM, Linaker CH, Smith S, Schreiber J, Johnston SL, Holgate ST. Personal exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and the severity of virus-induced asthma in children. Lancet. 2003; 361: 1939-44.


13. Salvi S, Blomberg A, Rudell B, Kelly F, Sandström T, Holgate ST, Frew A. Acute inflammatory responses in the airways and peripheral blood after short-term exposure to diesel exhaust in healthy human volunteers. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 1999; 159: 702-9.


14. Bucchieri F, Puddicombe SM, Lordan JL, Richter A, Buchanan D, Wilson SJ, Ward J, Zummo G, Howarth PH, Djukanović R, Holgate ST, Davies DE. Asthmatic bronchial epithelium is more susceptible to oxidant-induced apoptosis. American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. 2002; 27: 179-85.


15. Roche WR, Beasley R, Williams JH, Holgate ST. Subepithelial fibrosis in the bronchi of asthmatics. Lancet. 1989; 1: 520-4.


16. Holgate ST, Davies DE, Lackie PM, Wilson SJ, Puddicombe SM, Lordan JL. Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in the pathogenesis of asthma. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2000; 105: 193-204.


17. Holgate ST. The sentinel role of the airway epithelium in asthma pathogenesis. Immunological Reviews. 2011; 242: 205-19.


18. Grainge CL, Lau LC, Ward JA, Dulay V, Lahiff G, Wilson S, Holgate S, Davies DE, Howarth PH. Effect of bronchoconstriction on airway remodeling in asthma. New England Journal of Medicine. 2011; 364: 2006-15.


19. Van Eerdewegh P, Little RD, Dupuis J, Del Mastro RG, Falls K, Simon J, Torrey D, Pandit S, McKenny J, Braunschweiger K, Walsh A, Liu Z, Hayward B, Folz C, Manning SP, Bawa A, Saracino L, Thackston M, Benchekroun Y, Capparell N, Wang M, Adair R, Feng Y, Dubois J, FitzGerald MG, Huang H, Gibson R, Allen KM, Pedan A, Danzig MR, Umland SP, Egan RW, Cuss FM, Rorke S, Clough JB, Holloway JW, Holgate ST, Keith TP. Association of the ADAM33 gene with asthma and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Nature 2002; 418: 426-30.


20. Davies ER, Kelly JF, Howarth PH, Wilson DI, Holgate ST, Davies DE, Whitsett JA, Haitchi HM. Soluble ADAM33 initiates airway remodeling to promote susceptibility for allergic asthma in early life. Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight. 2016; 1: e87632.


Major grants:


NERC Wave 2 support for SPF Clean Air Champions - "Addressing the Challenge of the Indoor/Outdoor Continuum." 01 July 2022 – 30 June 2025, £936496.88 (FEC).


NERC Wave 1 support for SPF Clean Air Champions – “Application for Strategic Priorities Fund: Clean Air Champion.” 01 May 2019 – 30 June 2022, £622313.95 (FEC)


Impact examples:



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