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and I enrolled 52 asthmatic children. At the time there was a question as to whether the long
acting p2 agonist therapy had any anti-inflammatory effects. I was well placed to answer this
if I had measured the exhaled NO in these children, and/or connected them with an 'induced
sputum' researcher.
My experience in research has, I hopr, assisted me in the role of supervisor of other
researchers. I have learnt from my supervisors and from my own successes and failures. I
ensure regular contact no matter what is happening, and I limit the focus of the research. Early
enthusiasm often encourages taking on too big a project and then feeling ovenvhelmed or that
justice is not being done to every possible investigative avenue. I also returned to a one in two
on-call roster providing paediatric respiratory cover regionally and nationally. Again my 'take
home' message quite literally is to be certain to factor in time for writing. I believe important
contributors to success in research are attention to detail, regular review, maintaining focus,
and a realistic appreciation of the time required.
Since returning to New 7*aland my own clinical and research focus has shifted to the area I
am concerned which is a main burden of respiratory disease in New 7*,aland children -
infection and in particular the development of chronic suppurative lung disease resulting in
early morbidity and ultimately early adult mortality. My next endeavours are to continue to
develop a good management programme and research into aetiology, appropriate intervention
and strategies for prevention in this area of lung disease. While I also steadfastly remain a
clinician, I could not stop doing research now. I thank the Royal Brompton Hospital and Dr
Andy Bush in particular for opening up this path for me.
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