Respiratory diseases account for 25% of all medical admissions in UK hospitals, and the majority of these are due to bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Over the last 20 years, asthma has become the commonest chronic disease of childhood in Western countries and its prevalence has also increased markedly in adults. Asthma treatments now account for 12% on NHS prescriptions.
The focus of research in RCMB (Respiratory Cell & Molecular Biology) is to gain better understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying asthma and COPD, with the aim of developing novel treatments to reduce their associated morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. The RCMB division has a worldwide reputation in the field. The division is supported by a wide range of research council, charitable and commercial sources. RCMB consists of groups led by senior academic and clinical scientists whose research interests provide an integrated approach to the mechanisms of asthma and COPD at the genetic, molecular, cellular and whole-patient levels. Oil Seed Rape Pollen. Picture courtesy of the Biomedical Imaging Unit, University of Southampton.
