Professor Laurent is the Director of the Centre for Respiratory Research at University College London where he directs a team of scientists and physicians conducting research into basic aspects of the mechanisms of inflammation and remodelling, as well as programmes in translational reseach leading to clinical trials in collaboration with industry. He has published over 200 articles in international journals of biomedical research and was recently awarded the European Respiratory Societies Presidential Award for his contribution to lung science. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, an associate editor of the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology and has edited several books including a four volume Encyclopedia of Respiratory Medicine. In June 2006 he was appointed a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. He was appointed Director of the European Respiratory Society Lung Science Conference in August 2006. He is also the President of the British Association for Lung Research.