Respiratory and Allergy

You can find out more about our team here.

Respiratory diseases affect 10 million people in the UK, kill 1-in-5, and cost the NHS more than eight billion pounds a year. The UK prevalence of allergy is high and rising – a quarter of our population now has a respiratory allergy.

We aim to improve clinical outcomes from allergies and respiratory diseases by taking discoveries from the lab and using them to create new diagnostic tests, preventative therapies and treatments to increase the resilience of patients, communities and the NHS.

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What we are tackling – Research Questions

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Preventing
allergies and asthma from a young age

Led by
Professor Graham Roberts

How can respiratory and allergic disease be prevented at different stages of life?

Predicting and pre-empting chronic respiratory disease crises

Led by Professors

Jane Lucas,
Tom Wilkinson and

Dr Ramesh Kurukulaaratchy

How can we improve clinical outcomes through earlier diagnosis and personalised treatment?

Developing
earlier, faster diagnosis of lung disease for personalised therapy

Led by
Professor Paul Elkington

How do we develop new treatments in a much shorter time frame, with higher success rates?

Our impact

Our research has discovered and developed a promising weapon against a range of respiratory viruses from within our own bodies. We have also turned allergy and asthma triggers (allergens) against themselves, changing international health policy. Air pollution is the leading environmental risk factor for ill health. Our research has influenced policy, providing evidence for change towards cleaner air.

We found that applying extra Interferon (IFN) beta protein restores the immune response in those with asthma, kick-starting its development as a treatment. A collaboration with Synairgen has taken IFN-beta into large scale clinical trials, including a drug development deal worth up to US$225m with AstraZeneca.
When COVID-19 struck, we pivoted our IFN-beta research and swiftly established a 72% reduction in risk of patients developing severe COVID-19. That led to a large-scale trial in over 100 centres worldwide, completing in autumn of 2021. Read more
We conducted a world-first trial of deliberate allergen exposure in infants. Further studies on epigenetic changes (switching on or off of genes) have advanced early prediction and prevention of allergy risk.
We have applied our approach to the growing issue of food allergies and modelled how to introduce peanut in infancy across the whole population. This blueprint informed the recently published European food allergy prevention guideline. Read more
Working with colleagues in the Netherlands, we showed high levels of airborne metal in underground railways. The findings informed a report to Transport for London by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution (COMEAP).
We’ve harnessed our expertise as a port city to address shipping-related pollution affecting our communities. Southampton research found high levels of certain toxic heavy metals in ultrafine particulates from shipping.
Our respiratory research is frequently cited in World Health Organisation reports. It has also influenced policy through roles for Professor Stephen Holgate including First Chair of COMEAP, Chair of DEFRA’s Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards and UKRI Clean Air Champion (2019).

Preventing growth in respiratory and allergic disease

Our research has turned allergy and asthma triggers (allergens) against themselves, preventing the conditions before they start and changing international health policy. Read more

Our people

Meet key individuals leading and enabling Respiratory and Allergy research in Southampton.