2024 Rising Stars: Winners presentation

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic and progressive interstitial lung disease, where the normal lung architecture is lost and replaced by fibrotic tissue. Epidemiology shows that men are more affected than women and the female sex is associated with major survival. Our data suggest that in early stage of PF both inflammatory reaction and fibrotic process occur in parallel in males and females, but an exacerbated fibrosis process takes place only in males.

We used anti-fibrotic drug Nintedanib for initial 3-6 months among critical COVID-19 patients and assessed for improved clinical symptoms, oxygen requirement and lung function using pre- and post-treatment High-Resolution Chest Computed tomography Scan and Spirometry. It was found to be associated with improvement both clinically and radiologically with improvement in lung function.

Inhaled bacteriophage (or phage) therapy has the potential to revolutionise the treatment of respiratory infections caused my multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. We have developed novel phage and phage-antibiotic combination formulations for inhaled therapy that can target and kill MDR pathogens in the lungs with promising safety and efficacy profiles in vivo.

Lung fibrosis in Post-covid 19 cases is documented and should be assessed cautiously to have successful treatment outcome. Age above 50 years, male gender, Diabetes, High CT severity, longer duration of illness, proper timing of initiation of BIPAP/NIV therapy, and its early use in comorbid class has documented significant impact on post covid lung fibrosis. Lung fibrosis is known to occur relatively more often in COVID-19 pneumonia cases in presence of hyperglycemia and it will take more than usual time to resolve in presence of Diabetes mellitus. Response to conventional antifibrotics is excellent and it will have positive impact on radiological and clinical outcome in post covid-19 fibrosis cases.

We report an unexplored mechanistic link between impaired TFEB-associated autophagy and excessive NLRP3 signaling that underlies asthma severity. Amelioration of asthma pathogenesis upon TFEB reprogramming, illuminates TFEB as a novel therapeutic target for SA.

The prognostic role of muc5b rs35705950 genotype in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) on antifibrotic treatment.

Expression of ACE2, the SARS-COV-2 receptor, in lung tissue of patients with type 2 diabetes.

Nebulised Amphotericin B versus Oral Itraconazole in Pulmonary Aspergilloma: a parallel group randomized controlled trial.

Diagnosis of Tuberculosis (TB) through an electronic nose.

“My primary research focuses are Interstitial Lung diseases, Advanced COPD/Respiratory failure, Pulmonary Infections, Sleep Medicine.”

RISING STAR SESSION SCIENTIFIC WORK:
“Differences in Tobacco smoke associated, and Biomass fuel associated Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD) – A unique disease of the Indian Subcontinent” Biomass fuel associated COPD is a unique subset of COPD, encountered in rural India. Most of the patients are unsuspecting nonsmoker, females. The diagnosis of COPD is commonly missed in these patients, they present late in the course of disease and have poor health seeking behavior.

“My primary research focuses on studying immunity, with particular attention on host-pathogen interaction in the context of airway diseases. Using different model of in vivo and in vitro infections, I have demonstrated the role of IL-17/IL-17R immune axis in modulating host defense and immunopathology in the lung. Based on my skills in immunology, microbiology and genetics, my current research interests are focused on the mechanistic comprehension of the immune response during chronic respiratory disease.”

RISING STAR SESSION SCIENTIFIC WORK:
“The IL-17s/IL-17Rs axis in airway defense and immunopathology during chronic respiratory disease associated to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.” The exaggerated inflammation and tissue damage, associated to persistent infections, are central pathological features of chronic respiratory diseases. We are interested in elucidating whether the IL-17 cytokines family may modulate chronic lung disease progression associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa persistent infections.

Circulating MDSC modulate IPF progression by orchestrating immunosuppressive and pro-fibrotic networks.

Assessing inflammatory patterns in asthma endotypes; new diagnostic and therapeutic perspectives.

Using Optical Coherence Tomography to evaluate airway dynamics in vivo.

The role of bronchodilation on airway mechanical stress, lung hyperinflation and NO production in stable COPD.

Influence of inhaled corticosteroids on host-defence and the lower respiratory tract microbiota.

Serum cytokines patterns in lung transplant recipients.

Circulating biomarkers in asthmatic pregnancy.

Risk factors for anaphylaxis and the differences in B3GAT1 and ITGB1 gene expression in patients with mastocytosis.