Dr Matt Steward

About me:

I am a Clinical PhD Fellow at the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology in the Cook group co-supervised by Professor Chris Scotton & Professor Michael Gibbons.

The environmental fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is a potent inducer of allergic airway inflammation that is seen in conditions like asthma and bronchiectasis. My PhD asks why, despite Aspergillus being inhaled by us all on a daily basis, only some people with a seemingly competent immune system develop respiratory illness as a result of this exposure. My work focuses on using samples obtained by bronchoscopy from the airways of patients to look at the interactions between Aspergillus, innate immune cells, and the airway epithelium, and understand how this varies in health and disease. I have established a bioresource of clinical research samples with the Royal Devon & Exeter Tissue Bank to enable this research and future translational research in the South West.

Clinically, I am a Specialty Registrar in Respiratory Medicine & General Internal Medicine and have an interest in Medical Education. I have previously been a member of Council and the Science & Research Committee of the British Thoracic Society.