Fellowship could propel WA asthma research to new heights

Kimberley Wang, a senior research fellow at The University of Western Australia (UWA), from Southern River, has been selected as one of the first recipients of the prestigious Laurent Fellowship for Respiratory Health.

The esteemed Fellowship has been created in memory of a highly respected Perth respiratory researcher and former Director of the Institute for Respiratory Health (IRH) – Emeritus Professor Geoff Laurent.

It aims to advance respiratory research, promote international collaboration and inspire a new generation of early to mid-career and senior researchers to push the boundaries of innovation in the field of respiratory health.

Dr Wang has a strong research background in asthma research, especially in understanding its associations with obesity and prenatal growth.

“After a decade of working with researchers at UWA and internationally, I’m now wanting to further expand and develop new networks and exciting partnerships with researchers at the University College of London (UCL),” Dr Wang said. 

“I’m looking forward to gaining fresh insights and cross-disciplinary thinking that can help enrich my research in the asthma arena to help the 2.7 million Australians with the disease.”

Dr Wang will collaborate with Professor Rachel Chambers, Vice-Dean for the Faculty of Medical Sciences at UCL.

“I’m thrilled to be mentored by Professor Chambers for a month. I hope to exchange knowledge and learn new techniques available at UCL which I can bring back to UWA. I’m also looking forward to immersing myself into the British culture and hope to get to see some of the iconic sites.”

Emeritus Professor Geoff Stewart, current director of the Institute for Respiratory Health and a close colleague and friend of the late Geoff Laurent, said, “The Laurent Fellowship is a fitting way to honour Geoff’s memory.

“He was a big supporter of cross-collaboration between researchers and universities – knowing that diversity of ideas can lead to innovative solutions and breakthroughs.

“He’d be smiling knowing his legacy is helping mid-career researchers like Kimberley to further understand the risk factors for asthma – an area that is severely underfunded.”

The Laurent Fellowships for Respiratory Health are awarded annually with the closing date for applications being May 2024. For more information visit – resphealth.org.au/the-laurent-fellowship-for-respiratory-health.