Skip to content
Home page - Centenary Institute Centenary Institute

Primary menu

  • Research
        • Research

          The latest medical research into our most complex health challenges across cancer, cardiovascular disease and inflammation

          Learn more

        • Cancer
        • Inflammation
        • Cardiovascular
        • Programs
        • Laboratories
        • Diseases
        • Expertises
        • Services and instrumentation
  • Support us
        • Support us

          By supporting the Centenary Institute you can help improve human health through excellence in medical research

          Learn more

        • Workplace giving
        • Host or join a fundraiser
        • Gift in your will
        • Donate in Memory
  • Impact
        • Impact

          Our research develops new diagnostics, treatments and cures for some of the most deadly and debilitating diseases affecting society today

          Learn more

        • Breakthroughs
        • Community and research
  • Careers & studies
        • Careers & Studies

          Take the next step in your career with Centenary, Australia’s foremost clinically integrated medical research institute

          Learn more

        • Career opportunities
        • Life at Centenary
        • Post-Doctorate Research
        • PhD
        • Masters
        • Honours
  • News & events
        • News & Events

          Explore the latest research breakthroughs and ways you can take part in our series of digital and in-person events

        • News
        • Events
        • Media Hub
  • About us
        • About us

          We are world-leading independent medical research institute that drives collaboration to accelerate and translate solutions to our most complex health challenges

          Learn more

        • Governance
        • Corporate information
        • Annual reports
        • Our researchers
        • Contact
  • Donate
    Centenary Institute > News > Impact of bushfire smoke on health to be studied

Impact of bushfire smoke on health to be studied

Date time 24 June, 2020
News Type News type Media release
Understanding the long-term health impacts of bushfire smoke will be the focus of a new study being undertaken at the Centenary Institute and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

The study, funded by the Medical Research Future Fund’s (MRFF) Bushfire Impact Research grants program will seek to better understand the physiological impacts of prolonged bushfire smoke exposure, to improve health outcomes for Australians.

Professor Phil Hansbro, Deputy Director at the Centenary Institute as well as Director of the Centenary UTS Centre for Inflammation was the successful recipient of the grant and will be leading a team of specialist respiratory disease researchers and clinicians on the project.

“The true extent of bushfire smoke on people is still largely unknown,” said Professor Hansbro. “We just don’t know the full impact on people resulting from prolonged smoke inhalation or if short term effects resolve after the exposure ends. There is a real knowledge gap as to what level of smoke exposure is likely ok and what level may lead to adverse health effects, particularly for the more vulnerable in our society.”

For this study, the research team will explore the short and prolonged physiological effects of bushfire smoke using mouse models and primary human cells and tissues. Assessed will be how bushfire smoke affects the airways, lungs and other organs and what the long-term consequences of this exposure could be.

Potential smoke impact on healthy individuals and those with common pre-existing respiratory disease such as asthma, emphysema and lung cancer will also be explored. “Ideally from our study, we’ll be able to help define safe levels of bushfire smoke exposure across all of these population groups,” said Professor Hansbro.

The researchers will then use their findings to evaluate new prevention strategies and treatment measures. This will include the appraisal of anti-inflammatory drugs already in pre-clinical development that can be taken to help mitigate the effects of excessive bushfire smoke inhalation. The aim is to implement the study findings into practice, as quickly as is practically possible.

Professor Hansbro is grateful for the opportunity provided by the federal government.

“Bushfires and smoke are a constant feature of the Australian environment and will continue to impact many of us, whether in the bush, towns or larger cities. Our research will lead to improved knowledge in this critical area ultimately leading to improved health and wellbeing outcomes for many Australians,” he said.

More information on the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund and its funding of research into the health effects of bushfires can be found online.

Read the full media release here.

Themes

  • Inflammation

    Inflammation

Media enquires

For all media and interview enquiries, please contact Tony Crawshaw, Media and Communications Manager

Phone number Phone Number 0402 770 403

Email Email t.crawshaw@centenary.org.au

Media Release

Download

Recent Stories

  • New drug target identified for inflammatory lung disease

    Researchers at the Centenary Institute and the University of Technology Sydney have identified a new drug target for the treatment and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an inflammatory lung disease that causes airway blockage and that makes it difficult to breathe.
    News Type: Media release
    Date 04 Jul 2022
  • Inflammation presentation awarded

    Dr Joyce Chiu from the ACRF Centenary Cancer Research Centre has won an Oral Communication Award for her talk given at the 15th World Congress on Inflammation, held in Rome, June 2022.
    News Type: Research News
    Date 01 Jul 2022
  • Meet Dr Annalicia Vaughan

    A medical researcher at the Centenary UTS Centre for Inflammation, Dr Annalicia Vaughan specialises in the gut-lung axis and its role in lung and respiratory diseases.
    News Type: Profiles
    Date 28 Jun 2022
    Dr Vaughan
  • The Centenary Institute is excited to join the Sydney Biomedical Accelerator (SBA) as primary medical research partner

    The Centenary Institute welcomes the NSW Government’s commitment to fund a new biomedical complex in Camperdown. The Chair of the Centenary Institute Board, Joseph Carrozzi AM, and its Executive Director, Professor Mathew Vadas AO, are thrilled that a biomedical complex, the Sydney Biomedical Accelerator (SBA), will now be a reality.
    News Type: Media release
    Date 17 Jun 2022

Subscribe to receive news on
research updates and free events

Newsletter

The Centenary Institute is a world-leading independent Medical Research Institute.

We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Centenary Institute stands.

About

  • About
  • Governance
  • Corporate information

Research

  • Programs
  • Laboratories
  • Our researchers
  • News
  • Media hub

Careers & studies

  • Career opportunities
  • Life at Centenary

Links

  • Contact
  • Privacy statement

Contact us

Building 93, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Rd
Camperdown NSW 2050 Australia
Telephone +61 2 9565 6100
Fax +61 2 9565 6101

Centenary Institute ABN 22 654 201 090 (DGR 1) • Centenary Institute Medical Research Foundation ABN 85 778 244 012 (DGR 2)
© 2017 Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology.

  • Linkedin
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram