Helen Reddel | |
---|---|
Education | University of Sydney |
Occupation | Respiratory Physician |
Employer | Woolcock Institute of Medical Research |
Known for | Respiratory medicine |
Title | Professor |
Website | https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/persons/helen-reddel |
Helen Reddel or Helen Kathryn Reddel is a respiratory physician, a professor at Macquarie University, and adjunct professor at the University of Sydney, Chair of the Global Initiative for Asthma, [1] [2] who was awarded an Order of Australia in 2024, for services to respiratory medicine. [3]
Reddell was awarded a Bachelor of Science in 1977, and a PhD from the University of Sydney in 2000. [4] She is also a member of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. [5] [6]
Reddell is a physician working in respiratory health, researching improved methods for treating asthma and respiratory conditions including COPD. [7] Her research focusses on improving the management, treatment and quality of life for people with respiratory conditions, including use of medicines in primary care, as well as monitoring populations and public health. [8]
Reddel has been working on a project, as co-chair, which examines a longitudinal, multinational project which has 15,000 patients, each with either asthma or COPD. The purpose of the study is to determine the disease mechanisms, which underlie the physiology, to enable improved and targeted treatments can be found. [9]
Reddel is chair of the Science Committee for the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). [6] She was also chair of the Task Force on Standardized Assessment of Asthma Control, Severity and Exacerbations, from five years from 2004 to 2009. Since 2021, she has also been the Director of the Australian Centre for Airways disease Monitoring. [3]
Reddel has over 237 publications, with an H-index of 74, and over 22,000 citations as at July 2024, according to Google Scholar. [10] Select publications include the following:
Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. These may occur a few times a day or a few times per week. Depending on the person, asthma symptoms may become worse at night or with exercise.
Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex of vertebrates, as well as the synthetic analogues of these hormones. Two main classes of corticosteroids, glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, are involved in a wide range of physiological processes, including stress response, immune response, and regulation of inflammation, carbohydrate metabolism, protein catabolism, blood electrolyte levels, and behavior.
Spirometry is the most common of the pulmonary function tests (PFTs). It measures lung function, specifically the amount (volume) and/or speed (flow) of air that can be inhaled and exhaled. Spirometry is helpful in assessing breathing patterns that identify conditions such as asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and COPD. It is also helpful as part of a system of health surveillance, in which breathing patterns are measured over time.
Salmeterol is a long-acting β2 adrenergic receptor agonist (LABA) used in the maintenance and prevention of asthma symptoms and maintenance of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms. Symptoms of bronchospasm include shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing and chest tightness. It is also used to prevent breathing difficulties during exercise.
Budesonide/formoterol, sold under the brand name Symbicort among others, is a fixed-dose combination medication used in the management of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It contains budesonide, a steroid and formoterol, a long-acting β2-agonist (LABA). The product monograph does not support its use for sudden worsening or treatment of active bronchospasm. However, a 2020 review of the literature does support such use. It is used by breathing in the medication.
An inhaler is a medical device used for delivering medicines into the lungs through the work of a person's breathing. This allows medicines to be delivered to and absorbed in the lungs, which provides the ability for targeted medical treatment to this specific region of the body, as well as a reduction in the side effects of oral medications. There are a wide variety of inhalers, and they are commonly used to treat numerous medical conditions with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) being among the most notable.
Beta2-adrenergic agonists, also known as adrenergic β2 receptor agonists, are a class of drugs that act on the β2 adrenergic receptor. Like other β adrenergic agonists, they cause smooth muscle relaxation. β2 adrenergic agonists' effects on smooth muscle cause dilation of bronchial passages, vasodilation in muscle and liver, relaxation of uterine muscle, and release of insulin. They are primarily used to treat asthma and other pulmonary disorders. Bronchodilators are considered an important treatment regime for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and are usually used in combination with short acting medications and long acting medications in a combined inhaler.
Chlamydia pneumoniae is a species of Chlamydia, an obligate intracellular bacterium that infects humans and is a major cause of pneumonia. It was known as the Taiwan acute respiratory agent (TWAR) from the names of the two original isolates – Taiwan (TW-183) and an acute respiratory isolate designated AR-39. Briefly, it was known as Chlamydophila pneumoniae, and that name is used as an alternate in some sources. In some cases, to avoid confusion, both names are given.
Atopy is the tendency to produce an exaggerated immunoglobulin E (IgE) immune response to otherwise harmless substances in the environment. Allergic diseases are clinical manifestations of such inappropriate, atopic responses.
Fluticasone propionate, sold under the brand names Flovent and Flonase among others, is a glucocorticoid steroid medication. When inhaled it is used for the long term management of asthma and COPD. In the nose it is used for hay fever and nasal polyps. It can also be used for mouth ulcers. It works by decreasing inflammation.
Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi in the lungs that causes coughing. Bronchitis usually begins as an infection in the nose, ears, throat, or sinuses. The infection then makes its way down to the bronchi. Symptoms include coughing up sputum, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest pain. Bronchitis can be acute or chronic.
The Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health (FIRH) is a center for the investigation and treatment of respiratory diseases. Based out of St. Joseph's Healthcare in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the institute is a clinical facility with strong research directions. FIRH faculty are also heavily involved at McMaster University with education at the undergraduate, graduate, post-graduate and continuing medical education levels.
Tiotropium bromide, sold under the brand name Spiriva among others, is a long-acting bronchodilator used in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Specifically it is used during periods of breathing difficulty to prevent them from getting worse, rather than to prevent them from happening. It is used by inhalation through the mouth. Onset typically begins within half an hour and lasts for 24 hours.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of progressive lung disease characterized by long-term respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. GOLD 2024 defined COPD as a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms due to abnormalities of the airways and/or alveoli (emphysema) that cause persistent, often progressive, airflow obstruction.
Claire E. Wainwright is a paediatric respiratory physician and professor of pediatrics, residing and working in Queensland. She commenced her medical training in London and completed her specialist training at the Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane. She is now head of the Cystic Fibrosis Service at the Queensland Children's Hospital and a professor of pediatric medicine at the University of Queensland, Australia. Wainwright has published numerous academic papers focusing upon her main area of interest; the impacts of fungal infections upon children with cystic fibrosis. However, her interests also expand to include other airway complications within children.
Giorgio Walter Canonica is an Italian allergist, pulmonologist and professor of Respiratory Medicine at Humanitas University, Milan, Italy and Director Personalized Medicine Asthma & Allergy Center at Humanitas Research Hospital IRCCS-Milano Italy since December 2016. He is known for his research work related to innovative treatment strategies for allergic diseases which includes biological response modifier in form of targeted immunotherapy with primary emphasis on sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). He has served as Secretary General and President elect of World Allergy Organisation for six consecutive years and has served as president of the same organization during 2007–09. He is also the vice-president of INTERASMA.
Francesco Blasi is an Italian Medical scientist and professor. His domain of research is respiratory medicine. He has been the president of European Respiratory Society (ERS) during 2012–13. He has served as the president of Italian Respiratory Society during 2015–17. He is presently serving as one of the board of directors of University of Milan and is the professor of respiratory medicine in department pathophysiology and transplantation in University of Milan.
Kristin Carson-Chahhoud is an associate professor at the University of South Australia, heading a research group in the Adelaide Medical School. Specialising in respiratory medicine, tobacco control and management of tobacco-related illnesses, Carson aims to close the gap between clinical research trials and real-world patient care.
Asthma phenotyping and endotyping is a novel approach to asthma classification inspired by precision medicine. It seeks to separate the clinical presentations or clusters of signs and symptoms of asthma, known as asthma phenotypes, from their underlying etiologies or causes, known as asthma endotypes.
Emerita Professor Carol Armour AM is an Australian researcher specialising in asthma. Her research ranged from cellular level investigations to translation of asthma research into the health system. She was a NHMRC Research Committee member and Pro Vice Chancellor, Research, at The University of Sydney, before taking up a position as the Executive Director of the Woolcock Institute in 2012 and retiring in 2024.