Meet the EpiCreators

EpiCentral has been developed with the expertise and guidance of global experts; read on to meet our EpiCreators and hear from them about why they are excited about EpiCentral.

Professor Christopher Brightling, PhD, FMedSci

Professor Brightling has pioneered the development of biomarkers to phenotype airway diseases, translated mechanistic insights into clinical trials, and implemented these findings into clinical practice. 

Professor Christopher Brightling, PhD, FMedSci

Clinical Professor of Respiratory Medicine, University of Leicester and Glenfield Hospital

Leicester, UK

Professor Christopher Brightling is a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Senior Investigator, Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Respiratory Theme Lead for Leicester NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Director of the Institute for Lung Health and Honorary Consultant Respiratory Physician, Leicester, UK. Professor Brightling coordinates the European Union Consortium – AirPROM, the MRC/ABPI COPD (COPDMAP) Consortium, the MRC Molecular Pathology Node EMBER, the national post-hospitalization ‘long-COVID’ consortium PHOSP-COVID and is the Respiratory Lead for the IMI 3TR. He is the founding Director of the European Respiratory Society Clinical Research Collaborations and is the current European Respiratory Society Science Council Chair.  

His research focuses on improving the clinical management and understanding the immunopathogenesis of the following airway diseases: asthma, chronic cough, and COPD. His current research projects include understanding the interactions between mast cells and airway smooth muscle cells in the development of the asthmatic phenotype, airway smooth muscle migration, and remodeling in asthma and COPD. Throughout his career, Professor Brightling has published more than 480 peer-reviewed articles. He is a member of the American College of Chest Physicians’ Cough Guidelines, the British Thoracic Society, American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society Severe Asthma guidelines, and is on the scientific committee for the Global Initiative for Asthma.  

 

“My particular area of interest is airway diseases, in particular severe asthma, and trying to understand what are the underlying mechanisms.”

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Associate Professor Gilda Varricchi, MD, PhD

Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, University of Naples Federico II

Biography coming soon. 

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Professor Ian Pavord, MA, DM, FRCP, FERS, FMedSci

Professor of Respiratory Medicine, University of Oxford

Biography coming soon. 

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Dr Tanya M. Laidlaw, MD

Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Biography coming soon. 

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Professor Enrico Heffler, MD, PhD

Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of Postgraduate Residency Program in Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Humanitas University

Biography coming soon. 

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Professor Teal S. Hallstrand, MD, MPH

Professor of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of Washington

Biography coming soon. 

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Associate Professor Delbert (Del) Dorscheid, MD, PhD

Associate Professor, Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, University of British Columbia

Biography coming soon.

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Dr Simon Couillard, MD-MSc

Assistant Professor in Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke

“EpiCentral is an important platform to tackle our rapidly evolving knowledge of the airway epithelium as the epicentre of asthma.”

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Professor Pascal Chanez, MD, PhD

Professor in the Department of Respiratory Diseases, University of Aix-Marseille

Biography coming soon.

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Assistant Professor Marco Caminati, MD

Assistant Professor in Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona

Biography coming soon.

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Professor Celeste Porsbjerg, MD, PhD

Professor of Severe Asthma, Bispebjerg Hospital

“I am an expert in severe asthma, and I have a longstanding interest in the airway epithelium.”

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Professor Gianni Marone, MD

Professor of Medicine, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II

“Our team is working in the Center for Basic and Clinical Immunology Research of the University of Naples Federico II, and focuses on inflammatory mediators in allergic diseases.”

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Professor Louis-Philippe Boulet, MD, FRCPC

Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Laval University

“In the last three decades, I’ve been involved in research in asthma and respiratory allergy, as well as in education and knowledge translation in respiratory health.”

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Professor Bruce Levy, MD

Division Chief, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

“I have a longstanding interest in exploring the fascinating biology of the airway epithelium and its role in health and disease.”