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WA Epithelial Research Program for Childhood Respiratory Diseases

Once thought to be a simple barrier to the external environment, epithelial cells are involved in many repair and inflammatory processes that occur in childhood airway diseases.

Azithromycin mitigates human rhinovirus impact on barrier integrity and function in non-diseased airway epithelium

Azithromycin improves symptomology in various chronic airway diseases exacerbated by viral infections. However, the mechanisms underlying the apparent antiviral effects of azithromycin remain unclear.

Global participatory wastewater surveillance to understand mpox clade diversity in war and conflict-affected countries

War and conflict severely disrupt public health systems, compromising infectious disease surveillance in many affected regions. Mpox, a re-emerging zoonotic disease, poses a growing global threat, especially in areas where traditional monitoring is inaccessible.The mpox virus has distinct clades with varying transmission and severity.

In utero and early-life nitrate in drinking water impacts lung function of weanling rats

Consumption of nitrate in drinking water has previously been associated with a range of adverse health effects, including methemoglobinemia and potentially cancer. In animal models, it has been shown to impact respiratory structure and function, however, there is a paucity of data of the effects of in utero exposure on the respiratory health of offspring.

The respiratory health effects of heated tobacco product aerosols in a primary human airway epithelial cell model

Heated-tobacco-products (HTPs) are electronic devices that "heat" a processed tobacco/chemical mixture to produce an inhalable emission. They are advertised as a reduced-risk alternative to cigarette smoking. The aim of our research was to assess their potential health impacts using a 3D human airway model.

Tracking Plasmodium knowlesi through faecal DNA for monitoring zoonotic transmission in wild macaques across Southeast and South Asia

We conducted the non-invasive surveillance of Plasmodium knowlesi in wild macaques using 4,752 faecal samples collected across nine endemic countries. 

Conservation of gene expression patterns between the amniotic and nasal epithelium at birth

Amniotic epithelial cells are fetal-derived stem cells, capable of differentiating into all three germ layers, including mature epithelial cell populations. Here, we hypothesised that the amniotic epithelium might serve as a surrogate tissue source for investigating transcriptional profiles in the respiratory epithelium of newborns.

The effects of e-cigarette use on asthma severity in adult BALB/c mice

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are often perceived to be a less harmful alternative to tobacco cigarettes. Potentially due to this perception, they are used by people with pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma, who otherwise would not smoke. Despite this, there are few studies exploring the health effects of e-cigarette use on pre-existing asthma.

Combination of curcumin or chitosan with photodynamic therapy as an effective alternative therapy for overcoming wound infection associated with multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii as an opportunistic pathogen in wound infections raises significant concerns due to its antibiotic resistance and biofilm-mediated antibiotic tolerance. This underscores the urgent need to explore an alternative approach to effectively managing wound infections caused by MDR A. baumannii.

Understanding Otitis Media Among Aboriginal Children in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia: An Opportunity to Improve Health Outcomes

To assess the prevalence, clinical features and treatment of otitis media (OM) among Aboriginal children in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, and to determine if a correlation exists between OM and protracted bacterial bronchitis.