BREATH

BREATH (Border and Regions Airways Training Hub) was a unique, world class, cross-border cluster of researchers helping to address the causes, treatment and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is an incurable and slowly progressive condition that causes breathing difficulties and irreversible lung damage. Because it is often unrecognised and undiagnosed, it is sometimes called the ‘invisible disease’, yet it will soon be the 3rd leading cause of death world-wide. Central to BREATH’s mission was to train a cohort of 20 of the best young scientists to help fight and raise awareness of COPD within the Region. 

Northern Ireland, Ireland and the south west of Scotland have some of the highest rates of COPD in the world. COPD related emergency hospital admissions is higher in Ireland than any other. BREATH provided an innovative, industry-relevant training programme to stimulate research & innovation, attract inward investment and enhance economic development. Throughout the five-year project, researchers and doctoral students worked together, not only to better understand COPD, but to raise awareness of the disease to help encourage preventative measures, timely treatment and disease management.

In 2020 BREATH was awarded Queen’s University Belfast Vice-Chancellor’s Prize for Excellence in Research Culture. The Research Culture Prize is open to individuals or groups of staff who have made an outstanding positive contribution to the maintenance and advancement of a creative, collaborative, supportive and inclusive ‘research culture’. BREATH was identified as a group working towards a common purpose within the wider research community (including support staff and research students). The application demonstrated a vibrant and sustainable culture for research that promotes excellence, ambition, collaboration, and inclusivity. 

• Five enterprises receiving support 
• Two enterprises receiving grants 
• Eight enterprises receiving non-financial support 
• 22 Researchers in supported entities 
• 22 (equating to 89.5 researcher years) 
• Five enterprises cooperating with research institutions 
• Two enterprises participating in cross-border, transnational or interregional research projects 
• Three research institutions participating in cross-border, transnational or interregional research projects 

One problem is that we still don’t fully understand the underlying mechanisms and consequently currently available drugs are not particularly effective at slowing or reversing the disease process. “This EU investment brings together scientists and clinicians from the border regions to help resolve some of these knowledge gaps, which in time will lead to better treatments for patients. 

Professor McGarvey, consultant chest physician and clinical lead for the programme. 

Together with our Irish partners, BREATH offers a wonderful opportunity to gain new insights into lung disease. By better understanding this often ‘invisible’ killer disease, we hope to develop new and improved treatments – as well as helping prevent COPD by public awareness in the affected regions.

Professor John Lockhart, Director of the Institute of Biomedical and Environmental Health Research, UWS.