MRC-Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma

The incidence of asthma and allergy in the UK has almost trebled in the last 20 years, with one in three people likely to develop an allergy at some point in their lives.

There is a close link between asthma and allergies, and in developed countries, more than half of adults with asthma also have allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

Furthermore, children with atopic eczema are more likely to have asthma, with 1 in every 3 of children with atopic eczema going on to develop asthma later in their childhood.

The high incidence of allergic asthma highlights the need for a research centre dedicated to improving our understanding and management of allergy and asthma together.

The social and economic cost of asthma is high. Asthma care and services cost the NHS almost £900 million, and asthma is responsible for at least 12.7 million lost working days every year.

The creation of a centre of this kind provides a unique opportunity to translate basic science findings from the laboratory to healthcare professionals treating people with allergic asthma and will encourage scientists to fast-track the development and testing of new treatments.

The centre provides support to a number of world-class researchers based at Imperial College London, King’s College London and their associated hospitals. The centre's Director, Professor Tak Lee, at King’s College London and Deputy Director, Professor Tim Williams, at Imperial College London, lead the research activities and both hold Asthma UK-funded professorial chairs.

• More about Professor Tak Lee
• More about Professor Tim Williams

The centre is a much-needed addition to Asthma UK’s existing programme of investment in asthma research as it provides a focus for an area currently under-resourced and under-funded and where there are huge potential gains for the millions of people who live with allergic asthma.