A big thank you to all who came along and contributed to our latest ASM in London (12-13 March), celebrating five years of the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research. The next five years Whilst at the ASM, we were delighted to share the news that the Centre has been re-funded for a further five years, with an additional £2 million committed by Asthma UK. A fantastic achievement and it was great to make the announcement among our friends and supporters. The strategy for this next chapter was the primary theme for discussion throughout the meeting – both on the stage and over coffee. What does it mean to secure the renewal? Read Monica Fletcher’s blog Our diverse research Highlighting the diverse areas of research conducted by the Centre, sessions explored some of the key projects to be developed over the next five years, including improving asthma diagnosis, investigating online asthma communities, and the impact of air pollution. There were also updates from previous research successes – many of which have helped to shape our future projects – across areas including self-management, precision medicine and at-risk asthma. Celebrating our achievements – what sets the Centre apart? A clear message from across the two days was the hugely important role of our network and supportive infrastructure to the success of the Centre. A huge thank you to our Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) team, who contributed to several sessions over the Meeting. International Advisory Board member, Stan Szefler, noted that the Centre’s PPI work is “the biggest thing setting us apart”. Their crucial role was emphasised over the course of the ASM, embedded throughout the research presented. There was also praise for the postgraduate training platform, with some great presentations from our PhD students. A key focus for the next five years will be growing the Centre’s postgraduate training, with new PhD studentships and post-doctoral positions to be announced in the coming months. An international perspective from our keynote speakers Plenary sessions were delivered over the two days by members of our International Advisory Board. Each touched on the future of asthma and the role of the Centre, including insights into the potential impact of technology, telemedicine and machine learning. Many thanks to Stan Szefler, Erika von Mutius and Carlos Camargo for their contributions. Prize winners Rounding off a great couple of days showcasing and celebrating the Centre, awards were presented to winners of the poster and oral presentation competitions. Congratulations to Luke Daines, who was awarded first place in the poster competition, and Tracy Jackson, who received first prize in the oral presentations. Thanks to our judges for their valued input. Until next year! Read about the renewal on the Usher Institute website Highlights from the Annual Scientific Meeting 2018, Bristol Originally published 26 March 2019 Publication date 18 Jan, 2021
