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The objective of this study is to collect detailed longitudinal clinical phenotypic information linked to bio-samples from patients with pulmonary hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and other lung / respiratory diseases including COVID-19 and compare with appropriate control groups including healthy volunteers.

We aim to better understand the effect of current treatments and monitoring treatment response and better understand the molecular mechanisms of disease to increase our understanding of the causes, presentations and management of these conditions. This cohort is important part of a national projects examining the genetic and molecular architecture of pulmonary hypertension with major awards from the Medical Research Council and British Heart Foundation.

During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic we amended our protocol to allow the collection of samples and data from patients with coronavirus, and healthcare workers to enable us to conduct research into any long-term effects on lung, pulmonary and cardiovascular health.

We have worked with a number of academic and industry collaborators and are registered with the , and have contributed samples to the study and .

Current research projects

Investigation into OPG and related biomarkers in incident cases of pulmonary hypertension

We have discovered that the protein osteoprotegerin (OPG) is involved in the disease process and is easily measurable in patient blood samples. The aim of this study is measure OPG in the blood of patients with Pulmonary Hypertension and related conditions to determine whether it can be used as a biomarker to assess disease progression.

Identifying proteomic biomarkers to detect pulmonary arterial hypertension in patients with systemic sclerosis

We are investigating a proteomic approach (MYRIAD RBM) to discover a protein biomarkers signature using machine learning approaches to help screen for the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension in an at-risk population of patients with systemic sclerosis.

Identifying miRNA signatures for Pulmonary Hypertension

We are investigating the use of miRNA’s found in plasma to discover a disease signature using machine learning approaches to help screen for the development of pulmonary hypertension.

Integration of real-world mobile activity and heart rate/rhythm data to detect cardiopulmonary disease and identify ‘signatures’ of treatment response and 1-year risk scores in PAH.

Working with Euan Ashley and Steve Hershman (Stanford) we are linking data captured by iOS Health and the to address a number of aims and projects.

1. Improve screening to identifying patients at risk of pulmonary hypertension.

2. Assess treatment response and disease progression to test and compare the prognostic accuracy of real-world activity/cardiac function data from MyHeart Counts with standard in-hospital clinical assessments, 1-year risk assessment, biomarkers and patient outcome.

3. Capture real-world activity data from family members of patients with heritable PAH (UK Cohort Study) to identify ‘signals’ of early disease development.

4. Capture real-world activity of patients and healthcare workers at risk or, or recovering from COVID-19.

Recent research papers

1. Thaventhiran JED, Lango Allen H, Burren OS, Rae W, Greene D, Staples E, Zhang Z, Farmery JHR, Simeoni I, Rivers E , Maimaris J et al (2020) . Nature.  
2. Rhodes CJ, Otero-Núñez P, Wharton J, Swietlik EM, Kariotis S, Harbaum L, Dunning MJ, Elinoff JM, Errington N, Thomson AAR , Iremonger J et al (2020) . American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.  
3. Hodgson J, Swietlik EM, Salmon RM, Hadinnapola C, Nikolic I, Wharton J, Guo J, Liley J, Haimel M, Bleda M , Southgate L et al (2020) . American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 201(5), 575-585. 
4. Wei W, Tuna S, Keogh MJ, Smith KR, Aitman TJ, Beales PL, Bennett DL, Gale DP, Bitner-Glindzicz MAK, Black GC , Brennan P et al (2019) . Science, 364(6442), eaau6520-eaau6520. 
5. Gorman KM, Meyer E, Grozeva D, Spinelli E, McTague A, Sanchis-Juan A, Carss KJ, Bryant E, Reich A, Schneider AL , Pressler RM et al (2019) . The American Journal of Human Genetics, 104(5), 948-956. 
6. Sweatt AJ, Hedlin HK, Balasubramanian V, Hsi A, Blum LK, Robinson WH, Haddad F, Hickey PM, Condliffe RA, Lawrie A , Nicolls MR et al (2019) . Circulation Research, 124(6), 904-919.  
7. Rhodes CJ, Batai K, Bleda M, Haimel M, Southgate L, Germain M, Pauciulo MW, Hadinnapola C, Aman J, Girerd B , Arora A et al (2019) . The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 7(3), 227-238.  
8. Bohnen MS, Ma L, Zhu N, Qi H, McClenaghan C, Gonzaga-Jauregui C, Dewey FE, Overton JD, Reid JG, Shuldiner AR , Baras A et al (2018) . Circulation. Genomic and precision medicine, 11(10).  
9. Chen K-H, Dasgupta A, Lin J, Potus F, Bonnet S, Iremonger J, Fu J, Mewburn J, Wu D, Dunham-Snary K , Theilmann AL et al (2018) . Circulation, 138(3), 287-304. 
10. Gräf S, Haimel M, Bleda M, Hadinnapola C, Southgate L, Li W, Hodgson J, Liu B, Salmon RM, Southwood M , Machado RD et al (2018) . Nature Communications, 9(1).  
11. Hadinnapola C, Bleda M, Haimel M, Screaton N, Swift AJ, Dorfmüller P, Preston SD, Southwood M, Hernandez-Sanchez J, Martin J , Treacy C et al (2017) . Circulation, 136(21), 2022-2033. 
12. hodes CJ, Wharton J, Ghataorhe P, Watson G, Girerd B, Howard LS, Gibbs JSR, Condliffe R, Elliot CA, Kiely DG , Simonneau G et al (2017) . The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 5(9), 717-726. 
13. Rhodes CJ, Ghataorhe P, Wharton J, Rue-Albrecht KC, Hadinnapola C, Watson G, Bleda M, Haimel M, Coghlan G, Corris PA , Howard LS et al (2017) . Circulation, 135, 460-475. 
14. Rothman AM, Arnold N, Pickworth J, Iremonger J, Ciuclan L, Allan R, Guth-Gundel S, Southwood M, Morrell N, Thomas M , Francis S et al (2016) . Journal of Clinical Investigation, 126(7), 2495-2508. 
15. Pérez de Ciriza C, Lawrie A & Varo N (2014) . Clin Biochem, 47(13-14), 1279-1285
16. Rhodes CJ, Wharton J, Boon RA, Roexe T, Tsang H, Wojciak-Stothard B, Chakrabarti A, Howard LS, Gibbs JSR, Lawrie A , Condliffe R et al (2013) . Am J Respir Crit Care Med, 187(3), 294-302
17. Condliffe R, Pickworth JA, Hopkinson K, Walker SJ, Hameed AG, Suntharaligam J, Soon E, Treacy C, Pepke-Zaba J, Francis SE , Crossman DC et al (2012)