Rising Stars
The 8th World Bronchiectasis Conference is keen to support the development of the next generation of researchers and clinicians operating in the field of bronchiectasis and related comorbidities (NTM, PCD, etc.). If you are a junior professional, under 42, with a nice work to share this opportunity is for you!
purpose
You are invited to submit an original research abstract. Your abstract will be considered to become a lecture within the main programme of the conference.
the Concept
Nine young researchers / clinicians, selected by a strict process, will have the opportunity to:
- Present a lecture in the main session of the program together with the other international faculty members.
- Be hosted by the Conference that will waive registration fee and take in charge your travel and accommodation costs. If you have not the possibility to be taken in charge by, for example, your institution, the conference will take in charge your travel and accommodation costs.
- Each work presented as “Rising Star” during the conference will be voted by the audience.
- The two best “Rising Stars” will be awarded the Rising Star Prize at the Closing Ceremony and invited to attend the 9th World Bronchiectasis Conference in Hannover in June 2026.
- Negotiations are in course to have all the Rising Stars abstracts published in special supplement of a renowned Journal in Respiratory Medicine
Topics
AATD
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
Basic Science
(aetiology & physiopathology)
Comorbidities
(including not pulmonary ones)
Diversity in Bronchiectasis
(comparison between different healthcare systems, comparison of diagnosis, management and treatment in different regions, or in different social classes, etc. or in different contest like city vs rural, comprehensive discussion of the management in specific Asian Pacific, African or South American country highlighting the pros and cons of the system, etc.)
Epidemiology & Registries
Infections
(including ABPA, Pseudomonas, Haemophilus, etc.)
Microbiota
and its interaction with lung health. Special focus on the interaction between the gut and lung microbiota and the effects of long-term antibiotics on the microbiota.
NTM
Nontuberculous mycobacteria
Paediatric Bronchiectasis
Nontuberculous mycobacteria
PCD
Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia
Pollution & Climate change
and their effects on Lung Health with special focus on Bronchiectasis or NTM
Respiratory Physiotherapy & Airway Clearance / Nursing and Allied Healthcare experiences
Treatments and New Drugs
Tuberculosis & Bronchiectasi
Guidelines
Online submission
In order to participate in the selection process, please submit before April 13, 2025.
- Submit your work through the website selecting the section “Call for Rising Stars.”
- Select the topic among the list, follow the instructions and complete your submission according to the rules.
- Upload a Full academic curriculum including publications and / or poster presentations made in the past.
- Upload a COI disclosure form.
General rules
Criteria
Compulsory Criteria
The main selecting criteria will be the relevancy and scientific value of the abstract presented, evaluated by the Organizing and Scientific Committee of the conference. The choice will be made at the Committee discretion. In the case of equality, the following priority criteria will be applied.
priority
Priority Criteria
Age: Priority to younger researchers / clinicians
Provenience: priority to researchers / clinicians working in low–income countries – with limited access to funds
Acceptance
Acceptance
Notifications to submitters will be sent by the end of April 2025.
Please kindly note that if you submit a Rising Star application, if not accepted as a Rising Star, it can still be selected as a poster presentation.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: April 13th, 2025
Zina Alfahl
Rising Star Winner (Bronchiectasis)
School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast (United Kingdom)
Title:
Sputum microbiome and clinical outcome measures in bronchiectasis: Data from the BRONCH UK Study
Summary:
Patients with bronchiectasis suffer from recurrent pulmonary exacerbations which lead to progressive loss of lung function, reduced quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality. Bacterial infections are the major cause of exacerbations due to the presence of one or more pathogens; therefore, the characterisation of the airway microbiome may improve our understanding of the natural history of bronchiectasis. In this study, we investigated the changes in bacterial community composition in sputum during clinical stability and following antibiotic treatment for pulmonary exacerbation. In addition, we investigated the relationship between main microbiome ecological indices and clinical outcome measures. Results showed that bacterial community composition was stable during periods of clinical stability and did not change following antibiotic treatment of a pulmonary exacerbation. Furthermore, no association was observed between changes in the main ecological indices and clinical outcome measures.
Jelmer Raaijmakers
Rising Star Winner (NTM -PD)
Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen (The Netherlands)
Title:
Rifampicin has no clear role in the standard regimen for M. avium complex lung disease – A hollow-fibre study with genome-wide transcriptional analysis.
Summary:
Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) bacteria are the most frequent causative agents of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) worldwide. Rifampicin is currently recommended for the treatment of MAC-PD alongside azithromycin and ethambutol. Rifampicin has poor in vitro activity against MAC, but is thought to prevent the emergence of macrolide resistance. We evaluated the contribution of rifampicin within the standard therapy of MAC-PD in an intracellular hollow-fibre model. Rifampicin did not add to the antimycobacterial effect to a regimen of azithromycin and ethambutol and it did not add to suppression of the emergence of macrolide resistance. In addition, to study the differences in adaptation to each treatment regimen, we performed RNA sequencing of the bacterial population over time. RNA sequencing showed that the addition of rifampicin does not greatly alter gene transcription in comparison to the 2-drug regimen. We believe that the similar transcriptomic profile in the two arms is driven by the presence of both azithromycin and host cells, both strongly influencing transcription and likely dominating the stress response with little-to-no additional effect of rifampicin. The additive effect of rifampicin in the treatment regimen is thus questionable, particularly in nodular-bronchiectatic MAC-PD.
