Research Participation
Research Participation
Our research would not be possible without the eager participation of research participants. The APEL would like to thank all past participants and everyone who has shown interest in our research.
Improve patient health
Your participation may benefit future generations, by helping researchers find improved treatments or medications.
Further science
Your participation may help further scientific knowledge, by allowing researchers to better understand diseases.
Learning Opportunities
You will have an opportunitiy to better understand your own health, as a result of our research procedures and knowledge.
Active Studies
Please note that volunteers will be compensated for their time.
- 19-49 years of age
- Asthmatic
- Non-smoking (cigars, cigarettes, marijuana, e-cigarettes)
- Not pregnant or breastfeeding
- Not using any inhaled corticosteroids
If you meet the study requirements, you will be asked to visit our lab at the Vancouver General Hospital five times for a total time commitment of about 35 hours. The entire study will take at least 12 weeks.
Procedures- Two 2-hour exposures to either diesel exhaust or filtered air in a specially ventilated room. The pollution will be no more than levels experienced in major industrial cities on a smoggy day.
- Inhalation of placebo (air) or Pulmicort (asthma medication known as budesonide)
- Collection of blood, nasal and urine samples before and/or after exposure
- Standard lung function testing
- Methacholine challenge test (common clinical asthma test)
- Health and symptom questionnaires
- Bronchoscopy procedure (standard hospital procedure where a thin flexible tube is passed down your throat and into your lungs)
- 19-35 years of age
- Currently vaping on a regular basis (used nicotine e-cigarette product on 20 of the past 30 days)
- Non-smoking (cigars, tobacco cigarettes, cannabis)
- Non-asthmatic
If you meet the above study requirements, you will be asked to visit our lab 4 times and will be contacted by researchers 3 times thereafter by phone for follow-up, for a total time commitment of about 4 hours. The entire study will take no more than 12 weeks.
Procedures- Collection of urine and nasal samples
- Standard lung function testing
- Health & symptom questionnaires
Interested in participating in research?
What people say about research
Don't take our word for it, here's what our past volunteers have to say.
I find the work at APEL innovative, important, and fascinating. I immediately signed up for the study once I heard about it because it's a great way to contribute to research!

Jenny Zhu
DICE ParticipantI say yes to participating in research because I want to know more about my condition and how I can maintain my health and lung function.
