Maria Belvisi

My passion for respiratory science started when I was at university. I was fascinated with how the respiratory system interacts with immune and environmental triggers. In normal lungs these triggers are protective but in patients with chronic lung disease these can become harmful and contribute to increased troublesome symptoms. It was clear then that there were significant therapeutic needs in these patients that were not addressed by the current treatments. As a Respiratory Pharmacologist, my proudest achievements are therefore working on two therapeutic agents which are now used in the treatment of asthma and COPD. Although significant advances have been made, we still need to work on not just the treatment of chronic lung disease but also on disease modification and cure.

In September 2017, I joined AstraZeneca’s BioPharmaceuticals R&D group to head up the Respiratory, Inflammation & Autoimmunity research. I am based in Gothenburg, Sweden, at one of AstraZeneca’s three strategic research and development hubs, also home to the company’s early-stage respiratory research. In my role as Senior Vice President and Head of Early Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity (RIA), I lead early-stage research and development in chronic diseases of the lung – such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic cough. We focus on three areas: lung epithelium, lung immunity and lung regeneration. I am really enjoying being part of the Respiratory team at AstraZeneca because it has given me the opportunity to work alongside inspiring scientists, and within a global organisation that has the expertise and capacity needed to drive science towards new medicines for patients.

Alongside my role at AstraZeneca, I am Professor of Respiratory Pharmacology and Head of the Respiratory Pharmacology Group at Imperial College London. My research is focused on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of asthma, COPD and chronic cough, with the aim of developing therapies for these conditions. I enjoy helping to drive the research efforts here and to be part of training the next generation of respiratory scientists.

I was research director for the European Respiratory Society (ERS) from 2013 to 2016, and I have served on the editorial board of several scientific journals, including the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, European Respiratory Journal and executive editor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. I write extensively about respiratory illness and treatment, with many of my papers being cited by peers and referenced in other publications. I am also an elected Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society, European Respiratory Society and the Academy of Medical Sciences.

My experience in industry includes leading a team at Rhône-Poulenc Rorer (now Aventis Pharma) focused on respiratory disease. In 2010, I also started my own company with my colleague, Dr Mark Birrell, called IR Pharma, a Respiratory Pharmacology pre-clinical drug discovery organisation.