Cystic Fibrosis and Bronchiectasis Research

About

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disorder resulting in damage to the lungs and elsewhere. The resulting changes associated with this disease increase the risk of chronic bacterial infection, lung function decline and overall ill health, both physical and mental. 

The Cystic Fibrosis and Bronchiectasis Research Group is investigating how patients may benefit from novel drug therapies, diagnostic imaging techniques, molecular epidemiology of infection and psychosocial interventions.

The group has an excellent track record in attracting competitive research grants, both from Australian and international sources. They are recognised as world leaders and have an extensive collaborative network with the leading researchers in cystic fibrosis throughout Australia and internationally.

People

The Cystic Fibrosis and Bronchiectasis Research Group are made up of a multi-disciplinary team of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and allied health staff. The team is committed to assisting in the search for new and improved treatments and providing high-quality care for patients with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis.

Current research projects

• Effects of high intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise on people with cystic fibrosis.
• The effect of the MetaNeb® System in the adults with cystic fibrosis when used in conjunction with usual airway clearance techniques (ACT) on lung clearance, lung mechanics and airflow limitation during periods of clinical stability and hospitalisation.
• Real-life study on bacterial air contamination in an adult cystic fibrosis clinic.
• Clostridium difficile infection in adult patients with cystic fibrosis in Western Australia: disease burden and clinical impact.
• Prevalence of multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in an adult cohort with cystic fibrosis.
• Real life Ivacaftor Efficacy in Australians with Cystic fibrosis.
• Case study of Mepolizumab use in cystic fibrosis associated allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.
• Systematic screening for prevalence of depression and anxiety in a Western Australian adult cohort with Cystic Fibrosis.
• Living with Cystic Fibrosis During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Social Connectedness Perspective.
• Demoralisation in adults with Cystic fibrosis.
• Measuring energy expenditure during pulmonary exacerbations of cystic fibrosis using indirect calorimetry.
• Examining the association between nutritional outcomes during a pulmonary exacerbation of cystic fibrosis with the interval to the next exacerbation.
• Audit of the prevalence, progression and risk factors of cystic fibrosis (CF) bone disease in the Western Australia (WA) adult population with CF.

Recent highlights

Associate Professor Siobhain Mulrennan was part of a successful NHMRC grant application entitled ‘Unravelling a clinical paradox: Why does bronchial thermoplasty work in asthma and how can we improve patient outcomes’.

• Dr Anna Tai awarded best oral presentation in the quality improvement/clinical trials at the Australasian Cystic Fibrosis Conference.
• Jamie Wood won the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting Special Interest Group Prize for Best Presentation and finalist for the New Investigator Award.
• Abbey Sawyer, PhD Candidate, awarded the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting Travel Award and the Curtin University Higher Degree by Research Mobility Award.
• Dr Anna Tai was awarded the Thoracic Society Australia and New Zealand Vertex Adult Cystic Fibrosis Fellowship for 2017/18.

Publications

• Yeap BB, Dedic D, Budgeon CA, Murray Senior K, Knuiman MW, Hunter M, Zhu K, Cooke BR, Lim EM, Mulrennan S, Walsh JP, Green DJ. U-shaped association of vigorous physical activity with risk of metabolic syndrome in men with low lean mass, and no interaction of physical activity and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D with metabolic syndrome risk. Intern Med J2020 Apr;50(4):460-469. doi: 10.1111/imj.14379.
• Bailey N, Krisnadi Z, Kaur R, Mulrennan S, Phillips M & Slavova-Azmanova N. (2019). A pragmatic application of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration: A single institution experience. BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 19(1), [155].
• Harryanto, H., Ho, A., Solangaarachchi, M., Kuok, Y., Moodley, Y., & Mulrennan, S. (2019). Clinical features and long-term outcome of patients with saddle pulmonary embolism: Experience from two tertiary centres. Respirology, 24, 144-144.
• Stevenson, B., Bundell, C., Mulrennan, S., McLean-Tooke, A., Murray, R., & Brusch, A. (2019). The significance of anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor antibodies in cryptococcal infection: case series and review of antibody testing. Internal Medicine Journal, 49(11), 1446-1450.
• Vekaria, S., Popowicz, N., White, S. W., & Mulrennan, S. (2019). To be or not to be on CFTR modulators during pregnancy: Risks to be considered. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis.
• Horgan, L., Mulrennan, S., D’Orsogna, L., & McLean-Tooke, A. (2019). Tracheobronchitis in ulcerative colitis: A case report of therapeutic response with infliximab and review of the literature. BMC Gastroenterology, 19(1), [171].
• Vekaria S, Popowicz N, White SW, Mulrennan S. To be or not to be on CFTR modulators during pregnancy: Risks to be considered. J Cyst Fibros. 2019 Dec 24.
• Sawyer A, Cavalheri V, Wood J, Hill K. Exercise testing and exercise training within cystic fibrosis centres across Australian and New Zealand: what is considered important and what is current practice? Internal Medicine Journal. Accepted manuscript online August 2019. Doi: 10.1111/imj.14443.
• Gaynor M, Sawyer A, Jenkins S, Wood J. Variable agreement between wearable heart rate monitors during exercise in cystic fibrosis. ERJ Open Res. 2019;5(4):00006-2019. Published 2019 Oct 30. doi:10.1183/23120541.00006-2019.
• Sawyer A, Cavalheri V, Wood J, Hill K. Exercise testing and exercise training within cystic fibrosis centres across Australia and New Zealand: what is considered important and what is current practice? [published online ahead of print, 2019 Aug 6]. Intern Med J. 2019;10.1111/imj.14443. doi:10.1111/imj.14443.
• Lian R, Cavalheri V, Wood J, Jenkins S, Straker LM, Hill K. Higher Levels of Education Are Associated With Full-Time Work in Adults With Cystic Fibrosis. Respir Care. 2019;64(9):1116‐1122. doi:10.4187/respcare.06607
• Sawyer A, Cavalheri Hill K. High-intensity interval-based training on exercise capacity in people with chronic respiratory conditions: where are we now and what’s next? BMC Sports Science & Rehabilitation (invited paper). Accepted for publication February 2020.
• Sawyer A, Cavalheri V, Wood J, Hill K. Exercise testing and exercise training within cystic fibrosis centres across Australian and New Zealand: what is considered important and what is current practice? Internal Medicine Journal. Accepted manuscript online August 2019. Doi: 10.1111/imj.14443.
• Geyer MC, Sullivan T, Tai A, Morton JM, Edwards S, Martin AJ, et al. Exenatide corrects postprandial hyperglycaemia in young people with cystic fibrosis and impaired glucose tolerance: A randomized crossover trial. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2019;21(3):700-4.
• Wood J, Jenkins S, Putrino D, Mulrennan S, Morey S, Cecins N, et al.