Professor Stephen Chambers

Research interests

Professor Steve Chambers' research interests relate to diagnostics in respiratory infections, the treatment of infectious diseases and intermediary metabolism with particular emphasis on the relationship between bacterial and human metabolism.

He is interested in the effective delivery of treatment for infectious disease that minimises harm to the patient depends on rapid, accurate diagnosis of the infecting organism.

Clinical studies undertaken by Professor Chambers and his team have confirmed the limitations of current methods such as culture and PCR, particularly in children, which depend on the collection of sputum and other specimens. This lead the concept of diagnostic breath testing, which can be performed on readily available samples that can be easily repeated, to follow microbial metabolism. Markers of bacterial metabolisms are obvious diagnostic candidates particularly as they are specific to a particular respiratory pathogen.

In the media

Professors Steve Chambers and David Murdoch were interviewed for Radio New Zealand's Our Changing World series in March 2014.