Overview

Taking place on 21 February, this ERS Vision Live panel discussion focused on Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD).

The expert panellists discussed key areas, including:

• The consequences of polymerized Alpha-1-antitrypsin in the liver and the circulation,
• The challenges for the diagnosis of AATD,
• And the treatment-related specificities of AATD.

Chairs:

Prof. Nicolas Roche

• Nicolas is Professor of Respiratory Medicine at Paris Cité University and Head of the Respiratory Medicine Department at Cochin Hospital, Paris. He is the current ERS Science Council chair and has been Guidelines Director at ERS.
• He is a member of the Science Committee of the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease and has contributed to several other international guidelines on various aspects of COPD. 

Dr Marc Miravitlles

• Marc is a Senior Researcher and Consultant at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona. He was Chair of the Respiratory Infections Group of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and Guidelines Director of the ERS.
• He has acted as a consultant for the development of international guidelines of COPD, including the ERS statement on management of respiratory disease in Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) and is the current Chair of the European Alpha-1- Research Collaboration (EARCO CRC) of the ERS.

Speakers

Prof. Jan Stolk

• Jan has been Associate Professor of Respiratory Medicine at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) since 1992, with main interest in Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD).
• He has also been Director of Patient Care Path at LUMC for all clinical aspects of AATD, including liver and skin disease, since 2019. He is Chair of Core Network for AATD of the European Reference Network (ERN) for the lung (ERN-LUNG). 

Prof. Alice Turner

• Alice has been a Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at Heartlands Hospital since 2011, and Professor of Respiratory Medicine at University of Birmingham since 2020.
• She plays an active role with specialist societies, having been a member of the British Thoracic Society Specialist Advisory Group on COPD, and is currently a member of their Quality Improvement Committee.
• She has published widely in COPD and AATD, and has ongoing research projects funded by the NIHR, Alpha 1 Foundation amongst others. 

Prof. Ilaria Ferrarotti

• Ilaria is Assistant Professor at the University of Pavia, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics in the Pulmonology Unit, in Italy where she conducts research, lectures, and coordinates the diagnostic activity of the Reference Centre of Diagnosis of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD).
• Her main areas of scientific interest include the genetics of respiratory diseases, in particular AATD and COPD.
• She is currently member of the Steering Committee of European Alpha-1 Research Collaboration (EARCO) group of ERS.