In 2010 the Royal Children’s Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust will continue to support the ongoing research into detection and assessment of early lung disease in children with Cystic Fibrosis

Dr Anne-Marie Edbone will join the Department of Respiratory Medicine to commence a 2 year project examining aspects of early lung disease in Cystic Fibrosis as part of the AREST CF (www.arestcf.org.au). Dr Edbone has previously worked in the Department of Respiratory Medicine at the Children’s Hospital as a Ward Registrar and is now commencing her training program to qualify as a Paediatric Respiratory Physician.

Dr John Widger commenced work as a Research Trust Fellow in 2009 and will spend 2 years examining aspects of the increasing incidents of diabetes occurring in young children with Cystic Fibrosis. While the diagnostic test for Cystic Fibrosis related diabetes is well established, there is evidence of subtle changes in glucose metabolism, lung function and nutrition occurring for periods of continuous glucose monitoring to study patients both when they are well and when receiving treatment in hospital for a chest exacerbation.

Dr Widger and Dr Edbone become the eleventh and twelfth Fellows to be funded by the CF Research Trust. The Autumn 2010 “Creating a Future” newsletter will contain updates from both Fellows reporting on the progress of their research programs.