Chris Corrigan

I am interested in why asthma remains uncontrolled in a substantial minority of patients. My research embraces the immunopathogenesis of severe asthma phenotypes such as non-atopic and aspirin sensitive asthma. I also study mechanisms of airways remodelling in asthma to identify new molecular targets which may modify the natural history of this phenomenon.

I collaborate particularly with my departmental colleagues Prof Hawrylowicz, who is interested in environmental control of T regulatory cell function in asthma, including the potential roles of new therapeutic agents, Prof Ward with whom I am examining the role of bronchial smooth muscle calcium homoeostatic proteins in maintining bronchial hyperresponsiveness, the cardinal clinical feature of asthma whose genesis remains as yet unexplained, and Prof Gould with whom I investigate the role of IgE-mediated mechanisms, both established and novel, in regulating asthma severity. On the clinical side I manage the Trust omalizumab service and am running a proof of concept study of the worth of omalizumab therapy in non-atopic asthma.

As leader of the Guy's allergen immunotherapy service I am also interested in improving products and regimens for immunotherapy, and participate in a number of basic and phase 3 clinical trials to this end. I am a principal investigator in the MRC and Asthma UK Centre for allergic mechanisms of Asthma, a cross-collaborative initiative with King's and Imperial Colleges, the Medical Research Council and the principal asthma charity Asthma UK.