Respiratory and Critical Care
RCSI is leading world-class research on respiratory conditions and critical care by focusing mainly on cystic fibrosis (CF), Ireland’s most common life-threatening genetically inherited disease; alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPDs) and the use of cell therapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Our impact
Our research programmes combine molecular biological and clinical research techniques to uncover the underlying mechanisms of respiratory illnesses and to develop new therapeutic strategies. We work closely with relevant charities and patient advocacy groups on how best to design the studies to ensure we are concentrating on research that is most relevant to the patient.
Read our impact stories
Pioneering research
Our research interests include clinical trials of paediatric CF treatments, using digital technology to increase inhaler adherence, investigating protease/anti-protease interactions in the lung, developing better models of genetic lung diseases so as to find new effective treatments, airway fluid dynamics in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and using cell therapy to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Our expertise
Testimonial
“By developing the ‘lung-in-a-dish’ models in the lab using adult stem cells, we can learn if medications work for individual patients and about the side effects or toxicity of drugs before ever giving them to real-life patients.”
“In our INCA SUn (Inhaler Adherence in Severe Unstable Asthma) trial we brought a completely digital approach to medication management and we believe it to be a substantial step towards improving outcomes and economic burdens.”
Progressive collaborations
RCSI plays a key role in a number of national and international respiratory and critical care research centres and we collaborate with international academic institutions and industry partners.
Interested in a career in the area of respiratory and critical care research at RCSI? View our list of available Postgraduate research projects in this area.
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