ABOUT OUR RESEARCH
The Respiratory Physiology Laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art devices for clinical measurements, like Spirometers (Vitalograph), Nitrogen Multiple Breath Washout System (Ecomedics EXHALYZER D), pulse oximeters, one non-portable (Ecomedics CLD 88sp) and two portable (NIOX MINO and NIOX VERO) devices for the measurement of exhaled bronchial and nasal NO, electrical impedance tomography device (ENLIGHT 2100, Innoventiv), forced oscillation technique system (Resmon V3, Restech), 24-hour oesophageal pH-Impedance monitoring system (MMS-Ohmega). Also, the laboratory has access to a ZEISS AxioPhot microscope with a Linkam DC-60 heating plate and a High Speed Video microscopy system (SAVA system, Basler scA640).
Through its collaboration with the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Embryology, the laboratory has access to Air Liquid Interface (ALI) respiratory epithelial cell cultures (using a Memmert ICO 150 CO2 incubator) that allows for a better characterisation of cilia motility. Finally, through its collaboration with the Department of Electron Microscopy/Molecular Pathology of the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, there is access to a JEOL-JEM 1010 Transmission Electron Microscope for the study of cilia ultrastructure.
The research objectives of the Respiratory Physiology Laboratory include:
1
The development of innovative research in the fields of diagnostics, prophylaxis and treatment of the respiratory diseases as well as in environmental and public health.
2
The study of the diagnostic approach of chronic and inherited respiratory diseases, such as: Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia.
3
The conduction of research programs in environmental and public health with emphasis in epidemiology of Asthma along with comorbidities like obesity and Vitamin D deficiency and the tackling of the health effects due to the desert dust storm episodes.
4
The participation in international studies for respiratory diseases and for environmental and public health and the collaboration with other academic and research institutes in Cyprus and abroad.
PROJECTS
List of some of the Respiratory Physiology Laboratory projects
- Motile ciliopathies: Understanding the molecular basis and introducing new technologies towards diagnosis and treatment. Project Acronym: PCD (Funded by Research Promotion Foundation (Sustainable RTDI System, Excellence Hubs, RESTART 2016-2020).
- Ciliary Adhesions and their role in Ciliogenesis and Ciliary function. Project Acronym: CILIA (Funded by Research Promotion Foundation (Sustainable RTDI System, Excellence Hubs, RESTART 2016-2020).
- Biometeorological Aspect of Thermal environment and Health: impacts on public health and on special populations to improve the quality of life and tourism sustainability. Project Acronym: BeAT Heat (Funded by Research Promotion Foundation (Sustainable RTDI System, Excellence Hubs, RESTART 2016-2020).
- Mitigating the Health Effects of Desert Dust Storms through Exposure Reduction Approaches. Project Acronym: LIFE-MEDEA (Funded by European Union’s LIFE programme under Grant Agreement LIFE16 CCA/CY/000041).
- Measuring Lung Ventilation Inhomogeneity in health and disease during infancy and childhood: a comparative study of two different methods. Acronym: MeLVI-study (Internal UCY funding).
Access to project can be found here: https://www.life-medea.eu/
- Better Experimental Screening and Treatment for Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia. Project Acronym: BESTCILIA (Funded by European Union’s FP7 HEALTH.2012.2.4.4-2 Observational trials in rare diseases).
Access to project can be found here: http://bestcilia.eu/
- Translational Research in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia – Bench, Bedside, and Population Perspectives. Project Acronym: BEAT-PCD (Funded by European Program COST Project: oc-2014-1-19034 – BM1407).
Access to project can be found here: http://www.beatpcd.org/
PUBLICATIONS
Selected publications from our lab are available below
Kouis P, Michanikou A, Galanakis E, Michaelidou E, Dimitriou H, Perez J, Kinni P, Achilleos S, Revvas E, Stamatelatos G, Zacharatos H, Savvides C, Vasiliadou E, Kalivitis N, Chrysanthou A, Tymvios F, Papatheodorou SI, Koutrakis P, Yiallouros PK. Responses of schoolchildren with asthma to recommendations to reduce desert dust exposure: Results from the LIFE-MEDEA intervention project using wearable technology. Sci Total Environ. 2022 Nov 26:160518. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160518. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36573449.
Kentgens AC, Latzin P, Anagnostopoulou P, Jensen R, Stahl M, Harper A, Yammine S, Foong RE, Hall GL, Singer F, Stanojevic S, Mall MA, Ratjen F, Ramsey KA. Normative multiple-breath washout data in school-aged children corrected for sensor error. Eur Respir J. 2022 Aug 18;60(2):2102398. doi: 10.1183/13993003.02398-2021. PMID: 35710262.
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