News Archive

Most of the people admitted to hospital after the Kelmscott fires were suffering not from burns, but from smoke inhalation.

Acrolein, a toxic chemical in smoke, was once trialled for chemical warfare, which gives some indication of its devastating effects.

Pharmacologist Phil Burcham has spent several years studying acrolein, its effects and treatment. "Acrolein causes the lungs to be flooded with liquid - it's one of the worst effects of smoke inhalation," he said.

Professor Burcham and colleague Professor Peter Henry from the School of Medicine and Pharmacology last year supervised an Honours student, Ferrer Ong, and his research on acrolein.

Ferrer presented his work at a pharmacology meeting in Melbourne recently and won two prizes.

"The ASCEPT meeting is the major annual conference for pharmacologists and toxicologists in Australia," Professor Burcham said.

"It is very competitive and it is 20 years since a student from UWA has won a prize."

Ferrer won the Robert Whelan Prize for the best Honours presentation from a field of more than 50 students, then won a special interest group toxicology prize, in which he was competing against PhD students.

His project examined whether people with a one-off exposure to acrolein (such as the victims of a bush or house fire) were more susceptible to respiratory problems such as an influenza viral infection.

"We worked with mice, and two days after exposure to acrolein, we found increased inflammation and mucous in virus-exposed mice," Ferrer said. "So my findings supported Professor Henry's theory."

Professor Henry extrapolated that, after exposure to smoke, people should take extra precautions to avoid contracting flu. Professor Burcham is still working on treatments to reduce damage by acrolein.

Ferrer, an international student from Singapore, paid tribute to his supervisors and credited them for his award-winning research. He is now going to work for Professor Paul Foster as a research assistant in his laboratory at the University of Newcastle's School of Biomedical Science and Pharmacy.

Professor Foster is an Honours graduate from UWA and is a leading researcher in allergic inflammatory responses.

"His lab attracted three or four NHMRC grants in the latest round," Professor Henry said. "This is a great opportunity for Ferrer and I suspect it will inspire him to do his PhD."

Published in UWA News , 4 April 2011