Research Highlights

Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease or COPD

Individuals afflicted with COPD  periodically suffer attacks of inflammation and narrowing of the small airways in response to certain triggers.Exposure to smoke and nicotine affects specific immune cells in the lungs and therefore directly causes these attacks. TRDRP-funded studies conducted by Omid Akbari at the University of Southern California are currently underway that will help to explain how active smoking and second hand smoke cause airway inflammation and shortness of breath in COPD and asthma sufferers.

The effect of nicotine on airway inflammation. Principal Investigator Akbari, Omid (18X-0160).