Catherine has an especial interest in improving equity of healthcare and outcomes for children of Māori and Pacific ethnicity. Her major streams of research are in the prevention of the development of chronic lung disease.
Catherine (Cass) Byrnes is an Associate Professor in the Paediatric Department of the University of Auckland and a Paediatric Respiratory Specialist at Starship Children's Health & Kidz First Hospital.
Graduating from the School of Medicine at the University of Auckland, she undertook paediatric training initially in New Zealand followed by specialty rotations at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, Guy’s Hospital and St Mary’s Hospital, London. She ultimately trained in paediatric respiratory medicine at the Royal Brompton Hospital, National Heart and Lung Institute, London (now Imperial College London) completing an MD in 'NonInvasive Methods of Measuring Airway Inflammation'.
On returning to New Zealand as a Paediatric Respiratory Specialist she developed a number of national services; a respiratory and cystic fibrosis outreach programme of 28 clinics in 14 regional hospitals, the first paediatric fibre-optic bronchoscopy service, the first paediatric bronchiectasis service and a home respiratory support service for oxygen or machine dependent children. Currently she leads care for children and youth with bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis.
Cass has an especial interest in improving equity of healthcare and outcomes for children of Māori and Pacific ethnicity. Her major streams of research are in the prevention of the development of chronic lung disease following early lower respiratory tract infections and the prevention of disease progression in bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis. To this end she has developed a number of international collaborations enrolling nationally with findings translated into evidence-based care.
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