Cystic Fibrosis is the most common autosomal disease in Caucasians. The thick lung sputum ultimately causes lung destruction and death. We are looking at various new medications which may help improve the removal of sputum from the airway. This includes the early treatment of cystic fibrosis related diabetes with insulin.

In addition, we are looking at early detection of inflammation and infection using invasive and non-invasive methods including newer lung function techniques such as multiple breath washout.People with rare 'Orphan' lung diseases have poor treatment due to the lack of understanding of the particular disease and how best to manage it. We are addressing this by forming collaborative networks and registries throughout Australia and raising the profile of rare diseases at Government level. Recently we have launched the Australasian Registry Network for Orphan Lung Disease www.arnold.org.au.

We are also interested in bacteria which cause respiratory infections. One such disease is empyema which is a complication of pneumonia where fluid collects in the pleural space. We formed the Australian Research Network in Empyema comprising all 13 major teaching hospitals in Australia and applied molecular techniques to the pleural fluid to look at the bacteria causing this disease. We demonstrated that the majority of the organisms were pneumococcal strains not contained in the vaccine. We anticipate using childhood empyema as a model for assessing the impact of the introduction of the newer pneumococcal vaccines onto the National Immunisation program

Society Memberships & Professional Activities:

• Member of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (02090)
• Member of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology
• Member of the Pediatric Pulmonology editorial board September 2004
• Chairman of the Australian Lung Foundation- Pulmonary Interstitial Vascular Organisational Taskforce (PIVOT), Cystic Fibrosis Australia Data Registry Committee, NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation Committee for Complex Respiratory Diseases Steering Committee
• Member of Australian Lung Foundation
• Member of the International Pediatric Pulmonology Network Steering Committee of the American Thoracic Society 2008-present
• Chairman of Aiming for Asthma Improvement in Children, funded by NSW Department of Health