VISITING SPEAKER: Targeting the small airways - no longer the �silent zone� in chronic lung diseases

Increasing evidence suggests that small airways (defined as <2mm) are important sites of inflammation, remodelling and altered reactivity in chronic lung diseases. Dr Bourke has applied a unique in vitro approach to examine small airway dysfunction, visualising changes in intrapulmonary airway lumen area and calcium signalling in lung slices. Insights obtained from mouse models of asthma, COPD, viral infection and bronchopulmonary dysplasia have revealed mechanisms underlying increased contraction and impaired relaxation and provided validated settings to assess novel treatments targeting the small airways.