This morning delegates were treated to a chat from Charles Irvin from the University of Vermont on revisiting the mechanics in obstructive airways disease — do we know it all?

Taking the stage in a packed auditorium Dr Irvin  took the audience through what we thought we knew about what’s going on in the asthmatic lung. 

The conclusion evidently was that we don’t know it all as Irvin left the audience with four ‘big’ questions to ponder on:

1. Why do airways close?

2. What is the lumen of the airway and how does that contribute to closure?

3. What is the biophysical role of surfactant?

4. How do we best target the airway obstruction?

“Asthma is like an Oreo cookie — if you ask any kid what’s the best part it’s always the stuff inside,” he told delegates.