Dr Matt Steward

About me:

I am a Clinical PhD Fellow at the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology as a member of the Cook group, co-supervised by Professor Chris Scotton & Professor Michael Gibbons. The environmental fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is a potent inducer of the allergic airway inflammation seen in conditions like asthma and bronchiectasis. My PhD asks why, despite Aspergillus being ubiquitous and 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 these vary in health and disease. My assays employ multi-parameter spectral flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, and ex-vivo work with a view to using patient innate immune cells within a lung-on-a-chip microfluidics system. I have established a bioresource of clinical research samples with the Royal Devon & Exeter Tissue Bank to enable this work and future translational research in the South West.

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