PG11 - Experimental models for COPD and asthma

Postgraduate Course
Chairs: J. Hamacher (Homburg, Germany), G. Anderson (Parkville, Australia)
Aims: This course will review important in vivo experimental models that directly mimic COPD or asthma, or specific aspects of these diseases. At the end of the course, participants will understand which aspects of COPD and asthma can or cannot be appropriately investigated using such models. The main learning objectives are:
• to explain the strengths of the models by showing how they have given a new basis for the understanding of disease or a therapeutic approach;
• to point out limitations in the models due to differences compared with human diseases;
• to consider the strengths and limitations of the models compared with clinical studies of patients with these diseases.

Cigarette smoke in mice, rats and guinea-pigs: value to the study of pathogenic factors involved in COPD G. Joos (Ghent, Belgium)
Chronic LPS instillation model in mice: a useful model for emphysema studies? J. H. J. Vernooy (Maastricht, The Netherlands)
Models of asthma employing ovalbumin in rats and mice: similarities and differences compared with patient asthma G. Folkerts (Utrecht, The Netherlands)
Models to mimic allergic asthma using house dust mite or Aspergillus fumigatus in mice: advantages and disadvantages A. Braun (Hannover, Germany)