Airwaves & Airways

Welcome to episode 2 of our Airwaves & Airways special summer series, where we're diving into Lungs on Fire, a 5-year grant funded by CIHR that is looking into the long-term health effects of wildfire smoke across 3 research pillars. The project includes leading researchers in the field of wildfire smoke who will collaborate across experimental, epidemiological, and social science. 

In this episode, we chat about the 2nd resear...

As wildfires grow more intense and frequent in British Columbia, some of the best and brightest minds in lung health research in British Columbia have come together to collaborate on ‘Lungs On Fire’. This 5-year, 2 million dollar grant funded by CIHR (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) will further investigate the long-term health effects of wildfire smoke and how wildfire smoke exposure can impact individuals differently acro...

In this month's episode we chat about firefighting and lung health and explore the respiratory risks associated with increased exposure to smoke, and how firefighters can keep themselves protected while on the job. As we head into wildfire season, many communities are bracing for smoky conditions as the fires are becoming more frequent and intense every year. Wildfires produce significant amounts of smoke, and our firefighters are ...

Tuberculosis, also known as “TB” is a disease caused by bacteria that usually attacks the lungs. Despite being preventable and treatable, TB remains one of the top infectious disease killers worldwide. World TB Day is March 24th and commemorates the day that Dr. Robert Koch shared his discovery of the bacterium that causes TB, leading to advancements in diagnosing and treating TB. It is a day to remember the immense devastation tha...

On this episode of Airwaves & Airways we're chatting about patient engagement! Patient engagement involves building a collaborative relationship between patients, caregivers, researchers, and decision makers. There are many benefits to having patients and their caregivers involved throughout the research process. This practice is becoming increasing integrated into research as it allows patients to contribute firsthand experien...

Airwaves & Airways is back with the 1st episode for 2025! For National Non-Smoking Week, we're talking about QuitNow! To support British Columbians in going smoke and vape free, the government of British Columbia has funded QuitNow, a free program to quit or reduce nicotine, which is delivered by BC Lung Foundation. Sheila Matano, Director of Health Promotion and Tobacco Interventions for QuitNow, discusses common obstacles, st...

Do you want to protect you and your loved ones this fall? Fall respiratory season is upon us – a time of increased respiratory illness. In episode 6 of Airwaves & Airways, we chat with Ajit Johal, who is a clinical assistant professor for the University of British Columbia Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Program and is the Clinical Director at Immunize.io. Ajit is a community pharmacist focused on vaccinations and since 2012...

Episode 5 of Airwaves & Airways is intended for health care providers who wish to learn more about which vaccines are currently available for patients and how to talk about vaccines with patients. To explore these topics, we are joined by Ajit Johal, who is a clinical assistant professor for the University of British Columbia Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Program and is the Clinical Director at Immunize.io. Ajit is a commu...

September is a month of excitement for many, however, the transition of back to school comes risks for children living with asthma. The “September Spike”, is a serious increase in asthma attacks that can occur among children when they return to the classroom.  

In this month's episode of Airwaves & Airways, we chatted with Sharon Ramsey , who is a Certified Asthma Educator at the Burnaby Pediatric Asthma Clinic. Tune in to lear...

For episode 2 of BC Lung's podcast, Airwaves & Airways, we had the opportunity to connect with Dr. Anne-Marie Nicol about the BREATHE project, a community-based initiative that teaches community members and leaders how to build DIY air cleaners to improve their indoor air quality. 'BREATHE' stands for 'Building Resilience to Emerging Airborne Threats and Heat Events' and is a project co-hosted by Simon Fraser University's Pacif...