A program of research in respiratory and cardiovascular genetic epidemiology

Two common adult conditions—chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and high blood pressure—affect millions in the UK, yet their underlying genetic causes remain poorly understood. This programme compares lung function and blood pressure measurements from tens of thousands of participants against millions of genetic variants across the human genome, searching for the DNA differences that contribute to these disorders. The problem is that current treatments for COPD and hypertension are often blunt instruments, managing symptoms rather than targeting root causes. By pinpointing specific genes involved, researchers can then study how these variants influence lung growth, age-related decline, smoking effects, and drug responses. Similar work on blood pressure will also test whether modifiable factors like folate deficiency genuinely drive hypertension. If successful, this research will not produce a simple genetic test for individual risk—the variants are too weak for that. Instead, it will reveal the biological pathways that actually cause these diseases. That knowledge could guide development of more effective preventions and treatments, potentially shifting how clinicians manage two of the most widespread chronic conditions in the UK. The work is fundamentally curiosity-driven, but with a clear path toward practical medical insight.