We are committed to improving health care the areas of asthma, COPD & general medicine by turning discoveries into effective therapy.

General Info

The UCSD Airway Clinical Research Center was formed to investigate and validate new and existing therapies for airway conditions. Airway conditions, as described below, are the focus of our research and treatment. The "airways" are the bronchial tubes that conduct air from the mouth to the alveoli of the lungs where oxygen is taken up into the blood stream and carbon dioxide is removed. Thus, the term "airway disease" or "airway condition" refers to a disorder that narrows the airways and interferes with the smooth passage of air in and out of the lungs. ASTHMA is marked by recurring episodes of reversible airway narrowing (caused by contraction of muscle in the airway wall, or "bronchospasm") manifested by shortness of breath, cough, wheezing, and chest tightness. CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD) is another name for EMPHYSEMA and CHRONIC BRONCHITIS, most often (but not always) associated with smoking. COPD is a chronic condition in that the airway narrowing is not fully reversible as it can be in asthma. Patients with mild COPD may experience shortness of breath only in association with respiratory infections or when performing strenuous exercise. Patients with more advanced COPD commonly experience persistent shortness of breath, cough, and frequent sputum or phlegm production. All of these conditions are treatable. Current medical therapy can reverse airway narrowing, improve symptoms and reduce the frequency of attacks. But no known treatment will cure any of these conditions. This is why the Airway Clinical Research Center was created - to develop better therapies, and eventually cures, for these common and important causes of impairment and distress.

Extra Phones

Phone: 619-471-0821

Hours

Regular Hours

Mon - Fri:	7:00 am - 5:30 pm
Sat - Sun	Closed

Categories

Allergy Treatment, Medical Centers, Medical Information & Research, Physicians & Surgeons, Allergy & Immunology, Research Services

Services/Products

"The faculty and staff of the University of California San Diego Airway Research & Clinical Trials Center are committed to improving health care in our target areas of asthma, COPD and general medicine by translating new discoveries into effective therapy. To this end, we work with laboratory scientists, clinical researchers, biostatisticians, our skilled laboratory team and our volunteer subjects to investigate and test new treatments." -Joe Ramsdell, MD •Clinical Trials & Research for Asthma, COPD and Allergies

Neighborhoods

Hillcrest, Western San Diego

Accreditation

UCSD Health System

UCSD Medical Center Hillcrest

Other Links

UCSD Airway Research Website

UCSD ARCTC Blog

UCSD ARCTC on Twitter