Ah-Fong Hoo

Dr Hoo specialises in assessing lung function in clinical and healthy infants and young children up to two years of age. Particular interests include:

• The early determinants of lung growth and development (eg. the impact of preterm birth, ethnic origin and exposure to pre- and postnatal smoking).
• Lung disease in infants and young children such as cystic fibrosis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and asthma/wheeze.

• Respiratory information for parents and visitors

• PhD in Respiratory Physiology (University College London). Title: 'Application and interpretation of forced expiratory manoeuvres in infancy'.
• MPhil in Respiratory Physiology (University College London). Title: 'The influence of gestational and postnatal age on the Hering-Breuer inflation reflex in infancy'.
• Registered Midwife.
• Registered Nurse.

Dr Hoo's role extends to performing serial lung function measurements in a cohort of healthy infants and young children to establish normative data. These data will be of unique benefit for future clinical trials using lung function parameters as objective outcome measures.

Her work has also included validation of essential equipment and software used in the Lung Function Laboratory, and providing training for research and technical staff, as well as visiting consultants and research fellows, both from the UK and other international centres.

She is currently managing a multi-centre research project involving the GOSH Cystic Fibrosis (CF) team and five pan-Thames tertiary CF centres - the London Cystic Fibrosis Collaboration (LCFC).

The study, Early detection of lung disease in infants with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) diagnosed by newborn screening, aims to establish the nature and magnitude of early CF-related changes during the first two year of life. Lung function results obtained at three months of age from this cohort have recently been published (Thorax 2012; 67:874-881).

Telephone: 020 7405 9200 (ext 0404) or 020 7905 2382.

Email: a.hoo@ucl.ac.uk