Pictured: A/Prof Debbie Rigby, National Asthma Council Australia Clinical Executive Lead, Dr Jemma Mayall, Fellowship recipient, Prof Natasha Smallwood, Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand President.
Dr Jemma Mayall has been announced as the recipient of the 2025 Asthma and Airways Career Development Fellowship, jointly funded by the National Asthma Council Australia and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand.
Dr Mayall’s research team discovered that increased inflammasome activation is a common feature of all phenotypes of asthma, but is most prominent in non-T2 severe asthma and obesity-associated asthma, which have no effective therapies.
Her team have already developed a remarkable new inflammasome-targeting compound, AR23B, however additional research is required to progress AR23B into an asthma therapy.
She now plans to use the fellowship to be able to develop AR23B into an appropriate therapy for the improved treatment of all asthma that also protects against viral infections, which are more severe in asthma.
“The fellowship will provide my team with much needed funding to generate additional preliminary data around the metabolic stability of AR23B in vivo and also the broad efficacy of AR23B in immune cells from patients with different phenotypes of asthma,” said Dr Mayall.
National Asthma Council Australia CEO, Rhonda Cleveland, said they were pleased to contribute to Dr Mayall’s research and proud to assist with her career development that could contribute to changing the treatment landscape for asthma.
“Supporting the Asthma and Airways Career Development Fellowship aligns with the National Asthma Council Australia’s commitment to build capacity and knowledge within the research and clinical community and to drive best practice in asthma care using evidence-based guidelines and collaborative partnerships.
“It is also a way to give thanks for the generous support of many respiratory experts who provide their expertise in the development of the National Asthma Council Australia resources and educational programs,” she said.
The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand CEO, Vincent So, said, "We are incredibly proud to be able to support our members like Dr Mayall, whose research is at the forefront of investigating and therapeutically targeting inflammasomes in severe asthma.
“Their groundbreaking work sets a global standard in the field of asthma research. We remain committed to supporting mid-career researchers during this pivotal stage of their research journey, ensuring they have the resources and encouragement necessary to make significant advancements in understanding and treating this challenging condition."
The aim of the Asthma and Airways Career Development Fellowship is to enable mid-career investigators to establish themselves as independent, self-directed researchers and foster the development of research in respiratory medicine in Australia and New Zealand. The fellowship is jointly funded by the National Asthma Council Australia and the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and is to the value of $60,000 for one year.
For further information or an interview with Dr Mayall please contact:
Donna Le Page, Le Page PR Mobile: 0429 825 703 Email: [email protected]
