Contact
School of Paediatrics & Child Health
M561
The University of Western Australia
Princess Margaret Hospital for Children
PO Box D 184, Subiaco
WA 6840
Phone (+61) 9340 8606
Fax (+61) 9388 2097
Supervisors
Start Date
March 2011
Submission Date
February 2015
Rachel Foong
Thesis
The effects of vitamin D deficiency on airway remodelling in asthma.
Summary
Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in children with asthma and is associated with airway hyper-responsiveness, reduced lung function and airway remodelling. However, it is difficult to establish a direct causal link between vitamin D deficiency and asthma in humans since low vitamin D levels are also associated with physical inactivity. My study examines whether vitamin D deficiency alters lung structure and function outcomes in asthma using a mouse model and whether vitamin D deficiency during lung development increases the risk for developing asthma. So far, my research has demonstrated increased airway hyper responsiveness and airway remodelling in vitamin D-deficient female mice. My project also investigates whether vitamin D deficiency exacerbates disease symptoms in a mouse model of chronic allergic asthma. Furthermore my project will determine if maternal vitamin D deficiency is important in these respiratory outcomes.
Why my research is important
This research is important because in Australia more than 10% of the population has asthma. If my research demonstrates that having sufficient levels of vitamin D during periods of lung development can
improve lung health outcomes, it will support clinical trials that are currently being conducted testing the hypothesis that vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy to prevent asthma and allergic
diseases.
Funding
- Australian Postgraduate Award
- Stan and Jean Perron Top-Up Scholarship
- Asthma Foundation WA PhD Scholarship Top-Up
University information
CRICOS Code: 00126G
