Target discovery and validation in idiopathic bronchiectasis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Target Discovery and Validation in Idiopathic Progressive Bronchiectasis: Molecular and cellular phenotyping leading to novel targets.
IRAS ID
246487
Contact name
Andres Floto
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Bronchiectasis is a long-term lung condition where the airways become abnormally enlarged, leading to a build-up of mucus and inflammation that makes the lungs more susceptible to recurrent infection. Patients with bronchiectasis have subtle abnormalities in the way that their airway cells respond to infection that are, in part, responsible for the development of their condition.
The main objective of this study is to achieve a greater understanding of some of the key biological processes, pathways and disease marker genes that play a role in the development of bronchiectasis. This is important because, at present, little is known about the underlying disease mechanisms and there are no licensed treatments for bronchiectasis.
Patients known to have bronchiectasis who have provided written informed consent will be enrolled alongside healthy volunteers and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis, for comparison. Participants will give a blood sample and have a bronchoscopy. This is a thin telescopic tube, passed through the nose or mouth, under sedation, into the airways that will allow a sample of bronchial epithelial cells and a washing of the lining of the lung to be taken.
These samples will be used in a variety of experiments that will investigate how gene expression and cell function differs between healthy volunteers and patients with airway diseases.
We hope this in-depth characterisation of specific bronchial airway cell abnormalities in bronchiectasis will shed light on novel targets for future drug discovery.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/EE/0004
Date of REC Opinion
3 Apr 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion