Transforming clinical research and science in bronchiectasis: EMBARC3, a European Respiratory Society Clinical Research Collaboration

Bronchiectasis is a major health problem that is increasing in prevalence and burden globally [1, 2]. The impact of bronchiectasis on patients and the healthcare system is exacerbated by the decades in which the disease was under-recognised, under-researched and poorly treated [3]. There remain no treatments licensed by regulatory authorities worldwide, and many of the treatments that are used in routine clinical practice lack robust evidence [4]. Therapeutic development in bronchiectasis is undermined by the lack of experimental models and a lack of fundamental understanding of the disease. This makes bronchiectasis less attractive for investment into new therapeutic research compared to other fields. EMBARC3 is a programme of clinical and translational research aiming to improve our understanding of bronchiectasis globally We thank Celine Genton and Elise Heuvelin from the European Respiratory Society (Lausanne, Switzerland) for logistical support.