The Department of Thoracic Medicine pursues a diverse range of research from basic clinical and applied physiology to innovation in clinical care as well as answering practical questions that are important to the community. The Department is one of Australia's most active clinical laboratories with a focus on translational research while maintaining a strong focus on undergraduate and postgraduate education. Senior members of the Department have maintained a strong commitment with local and international professional societies and are regarded as experts in their field.

Investigator-Initiated studies

Our Department's research activities focus on five main streams; Airways physiology, cilia function, cardio-respiratory function, sleep medicine, and interventional pulmonology. The laboratory is conducting a number of studies evaluating novel measures of airway function with a focus on translational research into small airway structure and function. Some of these studies are conducted in collaboration with the Woolcock Institute of Medical research and The University of Sydney. Other research collaborations have included the Concord Hospital Departments of Cardiology, Endocrinology, Andrology and Nuclear Medicine, Royal North Shore Hospital, Macquarie University, University of Technology, The George Institute for Global Health, The Alfred Hospital and The Austin Hospital.

Clinical Trials

The Department continues to be active in a range of Clinical Trials, some funded by Industry and others via NHMRC, that study the effects of new and novel therapeutic interventions for the treatment of asthma, interstitial lung disease, bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There has been an expansion of clinical trial in interstitial lung disease associated with the development of new treatments. 

Clinical Care Initiatives

In keeping with a focus on improving patient care and clinically relevant research, the Department has developed sub-specialty clinics for Airways Diseases (including asthma and COPD), Severe Asthma service bronchiectasis, primary ciliary dyskinesia, sleep medicine and a metabolic-respiratory failure clinic. Regular multidisciplinary meetings are also conducted for interstitial lung disease and lung cancer. We have recently created the first multicenter database for Airways Diseases in NSW and the launch of the National Bronchiectasis registry.