BTS/BALR/BLF Early Career Investigator Awards 2020

After showcasing their work in front of an eminent judging panel earlier this afternoon, the winners of the BTS/BALR/BLF (British Thoracic Society, British Association for Lung Research, British Lung Foundation) Early Career Investigator Awards have now been announced as:

BTS Award

The winner of the BTS award is Dr Holly R Keir, of the University of Dundee's School of Medicine, with her presentation titled: "Sputum proteomics identifies mechanisms of disease severity and treatment response in bronchiectasis"

Dr Keir said of her work:

“This study included 538 patients across a series of independent UK and international cohorts, and provides a novel insight into the contributions that Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) make to the pathophysiology of bronchiectasis.

“This work provides a potential mechanistic basis for the beneficial effects of DPP1 inhibition as a novel therapy for NETosis in bronchiectasis and other diseases, but has also furthered my understanding of chronic inflammation in the disease, and allowed meto build relationships with international collaborators.

“I am now investigating the potential for therapeutically targeting NETs as a leading scientist for STOP-COVID, an NIHR urgent public health prioritised trial of DPP1 inhibition in COVID-19.”

Congratulations also to the highly commended Dr Jate Ratanachina of the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London.

About his work, he commented:

“This project represented a major part of my PhD at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, under the supervision of Prof Peter Burney, Prof Paul Cullinan, Dr Sara De Matteis and Dr Andre Amaral.

“There is a growing literature indicating associations of chronic respiratory disease with non-smoking factors, particularly occupational exposures. However, most of the supporting evidence comes from studies performed in high-income countries, and there is a critical lack of knowledge in developing countries. With this project, I assessed the association between high-risk occupational exposures and respiratory outcomes using data from adults in 34 countries. This is the first research study covering this issue in both developed and developing countries across almost all world regions.

“On my return to a medical career in Thailand, where high-risk manufacturing remains common, this experience will help me devise strategies for respiratory prevention and respiratory surveillance among high-risk workers.”

BLF Award

The winner of the BLF award is Rachele Invernizzi, PhD candidate at Imperial College London, with her presentation by the title: "The respiratory microbiome and metabolome in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis"

Speaking about her work, she said:

“This project forms the core of my PhD research at the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London, under the supervision of Dr Philip Molyneaux, Professor Clare Lloyd and Dr Adam Byrne. The main aim of this research was to investigate the role of the respiratory microbiome and metabolome in the development and progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

“Subjects with IPF display an altered microbiome which is associated with a distinct metabolic signature in the lower airways. Differences in specific bacterial genera and an increased bacterial burden in IPF results in changes in the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the airways.

“With this work, for the first time, I have elucidated the impact of SCFAs on primary bronchial epithelial cells and human lung fibroblasts, which will hopefully advance our understanding of the involvement of the microbiome in IPF and, in the long term, may potentially facilitate the development of novel metabolically targeted therapies.”

Congratulations also to Dr Fraser Russell Millar, a Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, who was highly commended for his presentation: "Toll-like receptor 2 has a tumour suppressor function in non-small cell lung cancer via regulation of the senescence associated secretory phenotype"

Speaking of his work, he said:

"This work has allowed me to develop several laboratory skills and has encouraged me to pursue a clinical academic career. With the data I collected in this study, I intend to apply for intermediate fellowships to investigate the role of the SASP in immune regulation in lung cancer, and harness the SASP as a biomarker of pre-invasive disease."

BALR Award

The winner of the BALR award is Dr Eilise Ryan, final year Specialist Registrar in Respiratory Medicine. Her winning presentation is titled: "Defective metabolism drives macrophage dysfunction in COPD"

Dr Ryan said of her work: 

"This work was undertaken as part of my Wellcome-funded PhD at the University of Edinburgh , entitled  “Mechanisms to reverse impaired macrophage function in COPD” under the supervision of Professors Moira Whyte and Sarah Walmsley. 

"During this time I characterised functional, metabolic and transcriptional defects in both alveolar and monocyte-derived macrophages from COPD donors, highlighting the systemic nature of the disease. I identified a role for pharmacological augmentation of the Nrf2 pathway in reprogramming the COPD transcriptome , leading to improved cellular energetics and restoration of functionality to COPD macrophages.

"In the future, I aim to explore the role of mitochondrial health and, in particular, the role of ME1 activation via Nrf2, in restoring function to COPD macrophages . Ultimately, I hope to identify the drivers of the systemic defect in the COPD macrophage population by investigating an early cohort of smokers, with a view to preventing disease progression in these patients."  

Congratulations also to Dr Diana van der Plaat, Research associate at the National Heart and Lung Institute of Imperial College London, highly commended for her presentation: "Effect of testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin on lung function: a Mendelian randomisation study"

Speaking of her work, she said:

“Together with my current and previous supervisors (Cosetta Minelli and Bénédicte Leynaert) I set up this research project to assess the causal effect of hormones on lung function using a multivariable Mendelian randomisation (MR) approach.

“Previous observational studies found a positive association of testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) with lung function, so we focussed on these, for which there is also available data in the large UK biobank.

“I have performed all the analyses and I am currently finalising the first draft of the paper. The results of this project confirm the observational findings of a protective effect of testosterone on FVC in females and a protective effect of SHBG on FVC in males. In addition, we found a protective effect of SHBG on FVC in some women, specifically in post-menopausal and physically active women.”

More on the ECI Awards

These prestigious prizes are highly competitive and are awarded to the very best basic, translational or clinical research performed in the UK respiratory community by early career investigators. The prizes are awarded based on the quality and content of the research performed, the quality of the abstract submitted and in short-listed candidates, the quality of the oral presentation given at the Early Career Investigators Symposium at the BTS Winter Meeting.

Clinicians, Scientists and Professionals allied to Medicine are eligible to submit their work for consideration. The BTS/BALR/BLF awards are not open to medical students, who are invited to compete in the Best Medical Student Award.