Congratulations to Cathy Pendergrast, Arrow’s PhD Scholar for 2025! Cathy’s research interest is in graft v. host disease of the lungs.

While a stem cell transplant is a successful treatment for many people, there is a significant risk of rejection-related lung disease, otherwise known as pulmonary graft v. host disease (pGvHD).

This risk is particularly high for children, with lung and breathing complications affecting 25% to 60% of those who undergo a blood stem cell transplant. Additionally, 4.5%-8.3% of children develop pulmonary graft vs. host disease.

The early stages of this disease are challenging to detect, especially in young children, and late detection leads to significant disability or even death.

Currently, detection relies on a standard lung function test called spirometry. This test measures how much and how fast you can exhale all of the air from your lungs after a full breath in. This test, however, can be difficult to perform, especially by younger children, who often struggle to coordinate the breathing manouvere required for the test.

Cathy’s research will examine two new approaches in detecting pulmonary graft v. host disease – multiple breath washout and oscillometry. These promising lung function tests are easier to administer and could potentially be conducted at home. Cathy’s PhD will assess the effectiveness of these new approaches for early detection by analysing new local data alongside existing international datasets. If successful, this research could provide an urgently needed tool for improving the early detection of rejection-related lung disease in children.

Cathy will be working on her research through the University of Queensland at the Children’s Health Research Centre, where she will focus on new ways to test for early signs of lung GvHD — in the hospital setting and also at home — in a group of children who are receiving stem cell transplants.

Cathy has worked in peadiatric lung function for over 20 years and is currently the Senior Medical Scientist and Laboratory Manager at Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide. She will be moving with her family to Brisbane to undertake this new step in her career. Over the years, she has seen first-hand the devastating effects of lung GvHD on children, and is keen to help find better ways to pick up these lung issues earlier.

“Identification of this devastating condition is so often delayed in these children,” she said. “Early identification and intervention is so important to improving outcomes.”

Cathy is excited to have the opportunity to conduct research on a topic she is so passionate about, and she is grateful to Arrow for the assistance our scholarship will provide. Arrow’s scholarship will provide $97,500 in funding over the next 3.5 years to support this important research for stem cell transplant patients. Cathy says “this scholarship will allow me to wholly focus on this project, without needing to pursue extra income, which in turn will provide greater scope and quality for both my research training and outputs”.

We wish Cathy all the best with her relocation to Brisbane, and of course her research, and we will keep you up-to-date as she makes headway in her work.

Lung GvHD on The Straight and Marrow

Lung GvHD was the topic of a recent episode of The Straight and Marrow podcast, too. You can find that on Apple Podcast here, or on Spotify here, or on any number of other podcast platforms. Just search for The Straight and Marrow.