Lungs at Work

Current projects

We are part of the clinical academic and research facility at the National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London. Please find more information by visiting our specific staff pages.

More information about active projects is below.

We are undertaking a cohort study of firefighters from the London Fire Brigade to look at the medium and long term risks associated with firefighting, with a particular emphasis on cardiorespiratory health and cancer. The cohort includes both firefighters who did, and did not attend the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. Recruitment began in late 2019 and should finish in 2023.

The SPIRAL (Safe Practice in Reducing Allergy in Laboratories) study is funded by an NIHR post-doctoral fellowship for Dr Johanna Feary.  The project is designed to determine if the introduction of individual ventilated cages has resulted in a significant reduction in the risk of laboratory animal allergy. We have recruited some of the largest and most prestigious research institutions in and around London with whom we have a close clinical and /or academic relationship. The study started in 2014 and recruitment (n=750) finished in 2017.  Analyses are ongoing.

The MultiTex RCT study (Multifaceted intervention package for protection against cotton dust exposure among textile workers – a cluster randomized controlled trial), run by Asaad Nafees, aims to determine the effectiveness of an intervention package for reducing cotton dust levels in textile mills and improving the respiratory health of workers.

Measurements for cotton dust level will be taken, in addition to interviews and spirometry for approximately 1700 workers across 28 textile mills in Karachi, Pakistan. Baseline assessment will be followed by the implementation of the intervention in the intervention arm; comprising occupational health training of workers and managers and strategies for reducing dust exposure, including wet mopping and provision of facemasks. Key outcome measures including dust levels and lung function will be assessed at each follow-up over a period of 2 years.    

  • Grace Blissitt, Emma Coady, Paul Cullinan, Meliha Kaya-Barge, Eleanor Miller, Susie Schofield, Stefan Sprinckmoller, Lalji Varsani, Molly Waldron, and Tass White

ADVANCE (ArmeD SerVices TrAuma RehabilitatioN OutComE) is a 20-year study investigating the long-term medical and psychosocial outcomes of UK battlefield casualties from Iraq or Afghanistan (2003-2014).  The study also supports these injured men during and after their transition into civilian life.  

The study is mainly based at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC). The DMRC relocated in 2018 to Stanford Hall, Leicestershire from its previous site at Headley Court near Epsom. 

ADVANCE receives financial support from Help for Heroes, the MOD and HM Treasury (via the LIBOR Fund). 

The principal Investigators are as follows:

  • Gp Capt Alex Bennett – MSK disease & rehabilitation: Stanford Hall
  • Lt Col (rtd.) Christopher Boos – CVD: Bournemouth University
  • Prof Paul Cullinan – respiratory disease & epidemiology: Imperial College London
  • Prof Anthony Bull – bioengineering: Imperial College London
  • Prof Nicola Fear - mental health & epidemiology: King’s College London

Further details can be found on the ADVANCE Study website.

While the London Underground (LU) provides 2.8 million journes a day (pre-COVID) and hires over 19,000 staff, the health effects associated with exposure to dust on the LU are not fully understood.

Dust on the LU is physically and chemically different to outdoor dust. Studies that have looked at the cardio-respiratory health effects from exposure to dust on other subway systems have thus far been inconclusive and inconsistent.

This study takes advantage of the extensive records from Transport for London to measure the rates of sickness absence and mortality caused by chronic exposure to particulate matter on the LU.