Southampton researchers are developing new models to expand respiratory disease research.
Respiratory diseases affect 10 million people in the UK. Causes are not well understood, which makes it difficult to develop effective treatments.
Researchers in our NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) are spearheading a new collaboration focussed on 3D cell modelling. It could lead to new drugs and therapies being identified.
Dr Mirella Spalluto is driving the project forward. She shares how she became interested in research and what she hopes to achieve through a one-year BRC Enterprise Fellowship.
How did you become interested in research and enterprise?
I’ve always wanted to be a scientist. I see research as a giant puzzle – there’s a lot to discover! Each discovery is a small but important piece that helps reveal the bigger picture. The more we collaborate and share our findings, the clearer that picture becomes.
My research focuses on understanding the origins of chronic lung diseases. A broader goal of mine is to develop advanced, lab-grown models to study various lung conditions. I established a platform for growing patient-derived lung tissues and developed a surgery-to-research pipeline.
These very simplified mini-lung models, known as organoids, are paving the way for new research avenues in chronic lung diseases. They offer valuable insights into disease development, how the lungs interact with infections and the testing of potential new treatments.
Earlier in my career, I contributed to developing lab-based models for studying human heart development.
What is the healthcare challenge that you are seeking to address?
Respiratory diseases like COPD affect millions of people globally. Its impact is growing due to multiple factors - including an ageing population, pollution and smoking.
While treatments have improved, the root causes of many respiratory diseases are not well understood. This makes it difficult to develop effective therapies.
One of the biggest challenges in this area of research is finding the right models to study these diseases. Traditional models often don't fully capture the complexity of the human lungs.
Instead of using cells that grow on plastic as monolayers, I’m developing patient-derived lung organoid 3D models. These are more accurate and can help researchers better understand how these diseases develop. By providing these advanced models, I aim to help improve diagnostics and develop new treatments. This could reduce the overall impact of respiratory diseases on both patients and healthcare systems.
What do you hope to achieve through your BRC Enterprise Fellowship?
I aim to connect researchers, clinicians, and industry partners. Bringing people together is key to accelerating the application of advanced, patient-derived lung organoid models in clinical settings.
Over the next decade I hope to establish SoCRATES as a platform for collaborations between academia and industry. We are fostering partnerships that drive innovative research and improve patient outcomes.
By focusing on these goals, I aim to contribute to a future where chronic lung diseases are better understood, more effectively treated, and ultimately prevented. This would improve the quality of life of millions of people worldwide.
Discover more on the SoCRATES website.
How would you sum up your fellowship in three words?
Collaborative, Exploratory, Challenging
What’s it like being a health researcher in Southampton?
I've been in Southampton for some time now. The University feels like a multicultural community where everyone shares a common goal. We are each making a difference by supporting research and translating these findings into clinical practice.
Additionally, being located at Southampton General Hospital provides opportunities for researchers to engage with patients and the public. This enhances the relevance and impact of our studies. When your lab is next to a ward, you cannot forget that you are working to help people improve their health!
What advice would you give other health researchers?
Research can be hard, so you need a lot of resilience and perseverance. There will always be highs and lows along the way.
Remember to step out of the lab to keep yourself from getting lost in the everyday experiments. It’s important to talk to your colleagues, ask questions and keep the bigger picture in mind. Biscuits, coffee, a run at the Common and even crochet can help too!
Comments