Bronchiectasis Patient Conference 2026

Stefano Aliberti is Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Milan, and consultant at the Respiratory Department and Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center at the Policlinico Hospital in Milan, Italy. He is the director of the Bronchiectasis, Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia programs of the Policlinico Hospital.

His major clinical and research interests are in both acute and chronic respiratory infections. He has extensive experience in epidemiological and clinical research in pneumonia.

He has been heavily involved in bronchiectasis and non-tuberculous mycobacteria. He founded the European Bronchiectasis Registry (EMBARC). Prof. Aliberti has published up to 200 peer-reviewed articles mainly on respiratory infections and he was part of international task forces to produce guidelines on bronchiectasis and severe pneumonia, as well as statements on tuberculosis.

Justine was diagnosed with bronchiectasis and non-tuberculosis mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease in 2018. She wanted to share her experiences to help others in a similar situation so Justine founded the French NTM organisation MNT Mon Poumon Mon Air.

As bronchiectasis and the NTM lung disease affect people worldwide, it is important to make the voices of French patients heard in groups such as the ELF Bronchiectasis Patient Advisory Group (PAG). This gives us an opportunity to share our experiences with healthcare professionals to advance treatments and research.

Dr Arietta Spinou is a Lecturer in Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy Practice and Research at King’s College London, UK. She is a Specialist Respiratory Physiotherapist and has extensive research experience, with a special interest in bronchiectasis.

As part of her PhD work, Dr Spinou developed the Bronchiectasis Health Questionnaire, and for the first time objectively assessed cough frequency in a group of people with bronchiectasis.
Currently, Dr Spinou co-leads the ERS Task Force for the airway clearance techniques in bronchiectasis.

Natalie Lorent is a consultant Pulmonologist and Clinical Infectiologist working at the Respiratory Medicine department of the University Hospitals Leuven, and clinical lecturer at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.

Her clinical and research interests focus on respiratory infections (particularly mycobacterial infections), bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis.

She has a passion for translating science to clinical practice to improve outcome for patients.

Suzanne has a background in the biopharmaceutical industry. She was diagnosed with asthma at the age of 24 and with bronchiectasis at age 47 with a follow-up diagnosis of yellow nail syndrome.

Multiple exacerbations each year led Suzanne to leave her full-time job. She now works as a business mentor and a patient advocate across several arenas. She discovered ELF to her relief two years ago and joined the bronchiectasis PAG in 2025. Suzanne is passionate about raising awareness of bronchiectasis and the implications of living with chronic diseases.

Professor James Chalmers is the British Lung Foundation Chair of Respiratory Research at the University of Dundee, UK, and a consultant respiratory physician.

He is an expert in lung infections and has been involved in a number of projects during the COVID-19 pandemic, including leading the ERS Guidelines Task Force for COVID-19 and being chief investigator for several trials of new COVID-19 treatments.

He works closely with ELF to involve patients in respiratory infection research through projects such as EMBARC, and is an advocate for involving patients in guidelines, clinical research, and clinical trials.

Associate Professor Chotirmall is an internationally recognised clinician-scientist with an established translational respiratory research group at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, NTU Singapore. To date, he has performed key work on endo-phenotyping pulmonary infection, including the use of next generation sequencing approaches, in the context of chronic inflammatory respiratory diseases that have led to publications in Nature Medicine, the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), the Lancet Respiratory Medicine, the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and Cell Host and Microbe. He has been appointed Provost’s Chair in Molecular Medicine at NTU Singapore since 2019 and currently serves as Vice Dean (Research) at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine and as Deputy Editor at the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (AJRCCM).

I was born in 1986 in Thessaloniki, Greece, where I still live. I am a lawyer.

I had upper and lower respiratory problems since I was born. At age 17 I was diagnosed with asthma. At age 25, after a serious lung infection, I was diagnosed with bronchiectasis. At that time, I only knew this doesn’t go away and it gets worse with every new infection. I couldn’t tell whether my constant lung problems were caused by asthma or bronchiectasis.

I joined the bronchiectasis PAG after suffering a lung infection and realising that there is a lack of information on bronchiectasis. Joining the PAG was the first time I had met people with the same condition. It felt really encouraging knowing there are others with similar problems and concerns. My personal and professional goals often leave me with little time for things I enjoy, but I feel PAG is totally worth it.

Fiona is a GP with a special interest in respiratory medicine working in a large commuter town practice in Aberdeenshire and as part of the severe asthma team at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. She is current chair of the education committee for the primary care respiratory society and is studying for her PhD in bronchiectasis.

Dr Mattia Nigro is a doctor at the Respiratory Unit of Humanitas Research Hospital and a PhD Student at Humanitas University in Milan, Italy. His main clinical and research topics include bronchiectasis and acute and chronic respiratory infections. He is an active collaborator of the European Bronchiectasis Registry (EMBARC) and a member of the European Respiratory Society Methodology Network.

Tom Bermingham is a Rural Development Specialist from Wexford, Ireland. Tom was diagnosed in 2022 with a  complex mix of Aspergillosis, Bronchiectasis and severe adult onset Asthma. He is a member of the Aspergillosis patient advisory group for the European Lung Foundation.

Rachael works as a writer and translator of fiction and theatre, and is also a voluntary sector development worker.

Rachael was diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 2021, after having a chronic cough for 10 years and being misdiagnosed with asthma. She began to access ELF resources on bronchiectasis and went on to join the bronchiectasis PAG after realising there was a lack of knowledge on the condition.

Rachael is passionate about patients raising awareness of their condition and contributing to research and practice.

Dr Freddy Frost is a Respiratory Consultant and Senior Lecturer in Liverpool, UK. His clinical and research interests focus on chronic lung infection in people with bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis and COPD. He is an active member of the European Respiratory Society research collaborative on antimicrobial resistance.

Dr Rita Boaventura is a Pulmonologist with expertise in asthma and bronchiectasis, working at a tertiary care university hospital in Porto, Portugal.

Alan was diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 1990. In 2015, he became the first patient member of the Bronchiectasis Patient Advisory Group (PAG), and shared his experiences within European Respiratory Society (ERS) guidelines. Alan is keen to make information for patients accessible and now actively contributes to advancements in research and treatment for bronchiectasis through ELF.

Liz is a Health Psychologist who has a special interest in respiratory conditions. She currently works as a researcher exploring ways to help improve people's quality of life when living with a chronic illness.

Prior to this she worked clinically at the Royal Brompton Hospital, including with many patients with Bronchiectasis.

Professor Anthony “Tony” De Soyza is respiratory doctor working in Newcastle, UK with a particular interest in bronchiectasis, a long‑term condition that affects the airways. He has dedicated his career to improving the lives of people living with chronic respiratory illness tackling both patient care needs with leading‑edge research. His bronchiectasis clinic has a team of star nurses, doctors and physios helping and has been running since 2007.

His clinical work spans diagnosis, symptom management, and long‑term care, with a special interest in reducing flare‑ups and improving day‑to‑day wellbeing for people with bronchiectasis.

Alongside caring for patients, Prof De Soyza is actively involved in national and international research aimed at developing better therapies and improving our understanding of why bronchiectasis develops. He works closely with patient groups to ensure that research reflects real‑world experiences and leads to meaningful improvements in care. He is hugely grateful for the many people who have said “YES” to research at his and other centres. This allows us huge strides forwards in helping people breathe more easily and live fuller, healthier lives

Marijke was diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 2011 but had several lung infections and pneumonia as a child. She works as an IT project leader.
In 2025, she joined the ELF Bronchiectasis patient advisory group.

Dr Jennifer Pollock was formerly a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Dundee (UK), where she was heavily involved with patient and public involvement and engagement activities for the EMBARC network. Dr Pollock has recently transitioned into a new role as a Project Manager within the Health Informatics Centre at the University of Dundee (UK).

Bridget was diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 2014 and has lived with bronchiectasis symptoms for about 25 years. She is a member of the bronchiectasis patient support group in Edinburgh and joined the Bronchiectasis PAG as a result of James Chalmers coming to speak to the group. 

In her professional life she worked for more than 30 years as a nurse in critical care, combining clinical work with research. This experience showed her how important patient and family input can be in improving care. Her own research included patients and healthy volunteers and she has participated as a patient in a number of research studies.

She values the opportunities and support the PAG offers for developing and providing information and education resources on bronchiectasis for patients and professionals and contributing to the research agenda.