Research Participation
Research Participation
Our research would not be possible without the eager participation of research participants. The APEL would like to thank all past participants and everyone who has shown interest in our research.
Improve patient health
Your participation may benefit future generations, by helping researchers find improved treatments or medications.
Further science
Your participation may help further scientific knowledge, by allowing researchers to better understand diseases.
Learning Opportunities
You will have an opportunitiy to better understand your own health, as a result of our research procedures and knowledge.
Active Studies
Please note that volunteers will be compensated for their time.
- 19-49 years of age
- Asthmatic
- Non-smoking (cigars, cigarettes, marijuana, e-cigarettes)
- Not pregnant or breastfeeding
- Not using any inhaled corticosteroids
If you meet the study requirements, you will be asked to visit our lab at the Vancouver General Hospital five times for a total time commitment of about 35 hours. The entire study will take at least 12 weeks.
Procedures- Two 2-hour exposures to either diesel exhaust or filtered air in a specially ventilated room. The pollution will be no more than levels experienced in major industrial cities on a smoggy day.
- Inhalation of placebo (air) or Pulmicort (asthma medication known as budesonide)
- Collection of blood, nasal and urine samples before and/or after exposure
- Standard lung function testing
- Methacholine challenge test (common clinical asthma test)
- Health and symptom questionnaires
- Bronchoscopy procedure (standard hospital procedure where a thin flexible tube is passed down your throat and into your lungs)
- 40-80 years of age
- Mild-to-moderate COPD diagnosis
- Lung function testing results below the range determined by study physician
- Non-asthmatic
If you meet the above study requirements, you will be asked to visit our lab 10 times and will be for a total time commitment of about 40 hours. The entire study will last approximately 5 months.
Procedures- Take COPD medication (either Anoro or Trelegy) for the duration of the study
- Exposures to clean air or traffic pollution for 2-hours in a climate-controlled room to simulate air pollution levels experienced in major industrial cities on a smoggy day
- Bronchoscopies (a standard hospital procedure for collecting samples from your lungs)
- Standard lung function testing
- Collection of blood and urine samples
- Health & COPD questionnaires
Interested in participating in research?
What people say about research
Don't take our word for it, here's what our past volunteers have to say.
I find the work at APEL innovative, important, and fascinating. I immediately signed up for the study once I heard about it because it's a great way to contribute to research!
Jenny Zhu
DICE ParticipantI say yes to participating in research because I want to know more about my condition and how I can maintain my health and lung function.
