“Asthma and Allergies: Where in the world are we now?”

Media Release
6 May 2011

Auckland Medical Research Foundation Free Public Lecture

“Asthma and Allergies: Where in the world are we now?”

The Auckland Medical Research Foundation (AMRF) is to hold a free public lecture on a topic of growing interest and prevalence, asthma and allergies.

Foundation Executive Director Kim McWilliams says, “Professor Asher is internationally recognised in her field of medicine. We are proud to support this ground-breaking worldwide study in such a prevalent area. It has put New Zealand on the world map, and will ultimately benefit asthma and allergy sufferers for many generations to come.”

Early in her academic career of research into respiratory diseases in children Professor Innes Asher received funding support from the AMRF. This early research led onto the first asthma prevalence survey undertaken in Auckland, which developed further into one of the first international comparisons of asthma ever between countries (New Zealand and Australia). Professor Asher then became one of the founders, and quickly became the leader of a programme of epidemiological research into asthma in children, which grew to include rhinitis and eczema, known as ISAAC (The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood). This ground-breaking worldwide study is now in its 21st year, and is funded by the AMRF in 2011. ISAAC celebrated 20 years of research at the ISAAC Symposium held on 27 January 2011. A packed audience enjoyed „State of the Art‟ lectures, including topics such as ISAAC‟s main findings, genetics of asthma and allergy, how allergic is asthma, asthma and Pacific children, Māori children with asthma – how can we do better, climate change and respiratory health, updates in eczema and rhinitis, helminth parasitic infections and allergic disease, air pollution and asthma, farm living and asthma, access to asthma drugs in resource poor countries, and other aspects of asthma management.

Professor Asher will share the highlights of the ISAAC work and recent Symposium at this public lecture.

Lecture flyer and further detail attached

The AMRF is a major independent funding agency and Charitable Trust that provides contestable funding for medical research based in the greater Auckland region. Over the past 55 years the AMRF has distributed over $40 million in funding to a wide range of research activities - $3.3million distributed in 2010 alone.

For further information see our website at www.medicalresearch.co.nz

ENDS