Vanessa McDonald is a Professor of Nursing in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Newcastle, Australia and an honorary clinical nurse consultant in the Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at John Hunter Hospital. She is Director of the Centres of Excellence in Treatable Traits, and the Hunter Medical Research Institute’s Asthma and Breathing Programme. Her research interests are centred around the development of innovative approaches to the management of chronic airway diseases. She is passionate about the development and implementation of personalised medicine strategies that place the person at the centre of health care delivery. Over >25 years Vanessa has developed expertise in respiratory clinical nursing practice and education, has contributed extensively to respiratory health advocacy and health policy and, has developed as an internationally recognised respiratory researcher. She is committed to committed to improving the health and quality of life of people with lung disease in our region and internationally, and to the mission of lung health.

Professor Shyamali Dharmage is a world-recognised leader in Life Course Epidemiology of Chronic Respiratory Diseases. She developed and leads the Allergy & Lung Health Unit, Centre for Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of Melbourne and has been awarded the esteemed title of Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor and four prestigious Fellow titles (Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, European Respiratory Society, College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka, Dame Kate Campbell). Professor is in the top 0.018% among 219,873 all obstructive lung disease researchers worldwide (Expertscape). She has more than 500 publications and has been awarded >$75 million in grants. Prof Dharmage leads an internationally recognised research program and is the custodian and PI of two of the world’s key studies in allergies and lung health;including NHMRC funded Melbourne Atopy Cohort Study and Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study. Her work in lung function trajectories has contributed substantially to the creation of the novel paradigm of pre-COPD. Her recognition of research excellence is evidenced by national and international advisory board invitations such as the Lancet Commissioner in COPD. This COPD Lancet commission provided a roadmap for elimination of COPD including proposing a novel COPD classification. She was also a member of the expert committee that developed the Australian COPD Blueprint and led its prevention chapter.

Peter Gibson works as a doctor who cares for people with respiratory diseases and as a clinical scientist investigating the mechanisms and treatment of asthma, COPD, cough, and other airway disorders. He is a concept leader who has developed innovative approaches around inflammatory subtypes of asthma and cough; airway biomarkers; neurogenic mechanisms, laryngeal dysfunction and related treatments for refractory cough; multidimensional assessment and management of complex airway disorders such as severe asthma, airways diseases in the elderly, and asthma in pregnant women. Peter's research metrics record a H index of 80 (Web of Science), >670 published articles and >$40 Million in research funding. He has had continuous research grant funding from NHMRC, Asthma NSW, MSRP, Cooperative Research Centre for Asthma and Airways and successful NHMRC CRE programmes. Recognised as Australia’s top pulmonary researcher (The Australian, Research Report 2019) Peter’s peers have awarded him several research honours, including the 2018 ERS Gold Medal in Asthma, and elected him as the president of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (2015-6). His research, clinical practice, and participation in guideline panels serve to bring research developments into focus as effective health care interventions that improve the health of people suffering from breathing disorders.

Christine is head of the Respiratory Group at The George Institute for Global Health; Clinical Professor at the University of Sydney; and Professor of Respiratory Medicine at UNSW Sydney. She is a thoracic physician with a clinical research focus on the management of airways disease and has overseen many clinical trials and participated in international study steering committees and monitoring boards. Christine has been active in advocacy and leadership for lung health in Australia over many years. At The George Institute she manages a research group implementing trials in asthma and COPD in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Ian Yang is a Brisbane-based thoracic physician, researcher and educator. Prof Yang is the Director of Thoracic Medicine at The Prince Charles Hospital, and Professor in the Medical School, The University of Queensland. Ian’s clinical practice is in the field of thoracic medicine, and his translational research team studies gene-environmental interaction in COPD, asthma, lung cancer and air pollution, to enhance approaches to improving lung health in our community.

Dr Vanessa Clark is a post doctoral researcher and the Centre Research Manager for the Centre of Excellence in Treatable Traits. Her recent work focuses on the best approach for the management of severe asthma and how to implement that approach. This includes a primary care perspective, tertiary care perspective and patient perspective.