The new study, involving scientists from the University’s Institute for Life Sciences, will use fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) as a model to assess the function of asthma genes.
Professor Donna Davies, who will lead the study, comments: “Understanding how these genes work is the key to unlocking how asthma develops in young children and will ultimately allow us to develop therapies that prevent asthma, rather than treat its symptoms.
The Southampton team, which includes Drs Amrit Mudher, Jane Collins and Hans Michael Haitchi, will work with Professor Thomas Roeder from the University of Kiel in Germany.
The study is funded by The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) under the call for ‘Non-mammalian models for asthma research’, which aims to fund studies that reduces the need for animal research.
You can find more information about the study on the University website.