Pleural disease

  

Our interests and expertise cover the whole spectrum of diseases which commonly affect the pleura, encompassing conditions like pneumothorax, malignant and non-malignant pleural effusion, pleural infection, and asbestos-related disease. Our clinical pleural service, from which the majority of our study participants originate, is one of the most highly regarded and influential in the World.

The pleura are thin membranes which cover the inside of the chest wall and the outside of each lung. A wide variety of conditions can affect the pleura either directly or indirectly, often leading to excess fluid (an effusion) or air (pneumothorax) in the chest cavity.

We draw on expertise within the University of Bristol from the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit and Bristol Bioresource Laboratories; Biorobotics Group, School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology, School of Psychology & Neuroscience; and the School of Computer Science. We work within Bristol NHS Foundation Trust to embed research directly into front-line NHS services to ensure rapid translation into practice.

Public Partners facilitate community reach, data at scale, and national adoption: British Thoracic Society, UK Pleural Society, The European Respiratory Society, Avon Mesothelioma Foundation, South West Secure Data Environment. External Academic Partners include the International Multicentre Pleural Research Collaborative (IMPACT), Multiple UK NHS Trusts and university hospitals through national pleural disease trials, NIHR Biomedical Research Centres at Exeter, Oxford & Cambridge. Industry collaborations involve evaluation of new pleural devices & drainage systems and diagnostic technologies & biomarkers.