Grant: Project Grant

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a global health issue with an estimated 380 million people challenged every day with the simple task of breathing. In Canada and other developed countries, it is now recognized that the number of hospitalizations and deaths due to COPD is greater for women versus men. Using ultra-resolution computed tomography (CT) imaging we recently discovered that COPD patients have difficulty breathing because the smallest airways that carry air in and out of the lung are destroyed even before the disease can be detected using current clinical tests. Now we want to determine if small airways are lost more rapidly in women who develop COPD. We will measure small airways down to the single-cell level to improve our understanding of the disease process in COPD. Our results will provide the evidence needed to bring us a step closer to early diagnosis and treatment for men and women with COPD.