PhD Oration Seminar - The impact of household risk factors and their interactions with antioxidative stress genes on respiratory health

Xin (Daisy) Dai

Location: Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Seminar Room 515, L5, 207 Bouverie Street, CARLTON VIC 3053

PhD Candidate: Xin (Daisy) Dai, MScN, MPH

Supervisors: Dr Caroline Lodge, Professor Shyamali Dharmage, Associated Professor Adrian Lowe, Dr John Burgess, Associate Professor Aung Ko Win

Oxidative stress is associated with on-going airway inflammation, airway damage and lung function decline. Previous studies have focused on the associations between outdoor air pollution and oxidative stress induced lung issues. However, people spend most of their times indoor and current knowledge and public health awareness on health impacts from household exposures is lacking.  The aim of my doctoral research was to investigate if common household exposures associated with oxidative lung stress were associated with an increased risk of subsequent asthma and/or decreased lung function in later life, and whether those associations were modified by Glutathione s-Transferase (GST) genes.Using two established cohorts (MACS and TAHS), I identified several hazardous household exposures, particularly for susceptible populations with high risk genetic polymorphisms. My research has important implications for identifying high-risk populations and also for informing  household exposure choices to achieve better respiratory outcomes.