carnegieXchange: School of Sport

European Respiratory Society International Fellowship

Dr. Oliver Price - Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology - has been awarded a fully-funded International Research Fellowship by the European Respiratory Society (ERS.)

Logos of Leeds Beckett, ERS and Bispebjerg Hospital

Award Recipient

Dr. Oliver Price - Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology - has been awarded a fully-funded International Research Fellowship by the European Respiratory Society (ERS) - the largest scientific and clinical respiratory medicine organisation in Europe. The award is designed to permit promising scientists and clinicians to receive specialist training and promote international research collaboration.

Speaking about the award, Oliver said: “The fellowship is an exciting opportunity for professional development that involves a three-month visit to Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen - a world leading centre specialising in the diagnosis and management of exertional breathlessness”.

Oliver, who also leads the Respiratory Health Research Interest Group and Heads Sport Asthma added: “A substantial number of athletic or otherwise physically active individuals report troublesome respiratory symptoms during exercise - which is most often diagnosed and treated for presumed exercise-induced asthma. However, a common yet frequently overlooked cause of exertional breathing difficulty is exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) - a condition characterised by closure of the upper airway (voice-box) during high-intensity exercise - that acts to mimic ‘typical’ asthma symptoms”.

Oliver continued: “The opportunity to work under the expert mentorship of Dr. Emil Walsted and Professor Vibeke Backer will allow me to develop the knowledge and skillset to conduct research to further the understanding of this important differential diagnosis”.

Respiratory research laboratory testing

International Host Unit

Bispebjerg Hospital serves a catchment area of 400,000 citizens in Copenhagen with tertiary clinics for severe asthma, EILO, and vocal cord dysfunction. It is the leading centre for EILO and sports asthma in Denmark and is one of the pioneer centres worldwide to employ continuous laryngoscopy during exercise (CLE) as a part of routine clinical investigation since 2010. The department houses the largest respiratory research group in Denmark. The centre has expertise, facilities and equipment for advanced lung function and exercise testing and is part of the Copenhagen International Olympic Committee Centre of Excellence, in collaboration with cardiology and sports medicine.

Host Supervisor

Dr. Emil Walsted - Physician and Laryngeal Obstruction Research Lead said: “It is our pleasure to welcome Oliver to Bispebjerg Hospital. His research group’s previous work concerning exercise-induced asthma has been of great value to us and left a seminal impact on our clinical practice. The ERS Fellowship will facilitate mutual knowledge transfer between our research units and support aspirations to begin future collaborative multisite projects”.

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