In this first instalment of Bronchiectasis Insights, Stuart Elborn and James Chalmers discuss the pathophysiology of bronchiectasis and the concept of the “vicious vortex”, the interconnected cycle of impaired mucociliary clearance, chronic infection, inflammation, and progressive airway damage. The conversation sets the foundation for understanding bronchiectasis as a dynamic, self-perpetuating disease process rather than a static condition.
James Chalmers is Rhodes Chair of Experimental Therapeutics at University of Oxford, UK. An internationally recognised expert in bronchiectasis, his research focuses on the mechanisms driving disease progression, including airway infection, inflammation, and clinical phenotyping, with the aim of improving outcomes for patients.
Stuart Elborn is Chair of the Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, Chair of Respiratory Diseases at LifeArc, and Professor of Medicine (Hon) at Queens University Belfast, UK. He is a leading respiratory physician and researcher with more than four decades of experience in airway diseases, including cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis. His work has contributed significantly to understanding the mechanisms underlying chronic lung infection and inflammation.
