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The at the University of Calgary is a powerful engine of translational research, bridging laboratory science and enhanced patient care for nearly two decades. 

Plans for Calgary’s largest respiratory research centre kickstarted in the mid-2000s. , PhD, a professor and researcher, became the inaugural director of the Cumming School of Medicine’s . Kubes envisioned chronic inflammatory lung disease as a cornerstone of the new Institute’s mission, and a Calgary couple, who prefer to remain anonymous, helped bring that vision to life through philanthropy. A foundational gift of $1 million allowed the suite to open its doors in 2009 and become self-sustaining for the foreseeable future, significant for any research infrastructure. 

“Without that initial philanthropic investment, this facility simply would not exist,” says , PhD, a respirologist and clinician-scientist who is the medical director of the suite. “That gift allowed us to build something durable, something that could continue to grow.” 

A facility unlike any other in Canada 

The Tamaratt suite is unique in that it is one of the only facilities in Canada designed specifically for dedicated research bronchoscopy, allowing investigators to safely study lung biology in healthy volunteers as well as people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory conditions. It is also the only centre in Canada authorized to use human rhinovirus 39, enabling controlled experimental common cold infections to better understand viral triggers of . 

The facility houses advanced pulmonary function testing, exercise testing and complex inhaled allergen challenges, in which research participants inhale small amounts of an agent that they are allergic to, such as cat dander, that then induces a mild asthma attack, allowing researchers to model the immunopathology of a real asthma attack and study it. These novel therapies are likely to be effective in treating asthma.  
 
The Tamaratt suite is located near the cardiac research space, allowing for studies of cardio-pulmonary interactions, and it is also physically and scientifically linked to core laboratories for histology, immunohistochemistry, biobanking, and cellular and molecular biology. 

“This isn’t a standalone unit in the suburbs,” Leigh says. “Human samples can be collected and immediately analyzed using cutting-edge molecular tools. That integration is what makes discovery faster and more meaningful.” 

A pivotal role in asthma care 

Over the years, the Tamaratt suite has played a pivotal role in shaping modern asthma care. Many of today’s biologic injectable therapies for severe asthma, now considered standard of care, were once  

“We were involved in of medications that are now transforming lives,” says , a respiratory therapist and clinical research associate at the Snyder Institute who has been with the suite since its earliest days. “In some cases, we  enrolled the most number of research participants in Canada and even globally in these studies.” 

One particularly memorable research participant traveled hours for each visit after it was discovered an experimental therapy doubled her lung function. “Her life changed,” Dumonceaux says. “That’s when you really see the impact of this work.” 

The suite has also contributed to landmark asthma research. A Canada-wide , published in 2017, revealed that nearly a third of people diagnosed with asthma warranted reassessing their diagnosis, highlighting the need for rigorous testing. The findings helped reshape national conversations around diagnostic standards and health care costs. 

Powered by community 

None of this research happens without community participation. Each study relies on everyday Calgarians who step forward to help advance science. 

“We wouldn’t exist without them,” Dumonceaux says. “Every inhaler, every injection, every therapy available today went through human clinical research. That’s something people don’t always realize.” 

Equally essential is the commitment to scientific rigour. Even when urgency is high, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, the team refuses shortcuts, says Dumonceaux. Studies are meticulously monitored, ethically governed, and often double- or triple-blinded to ensure trust in the results. 

“If the science isn’t solid, it doesn’t last,” Leigh notes. “We’ve always believed that rigour is non-negotiable.” 

A bright future

The next decade promises growth and diversification. The Tamaratt suite is expanding into interstitial lung disease, bronchiectasis, nanotechnology-based therapies and longer-acting biologics. It is also breaking new ground in education, becoming the first site in Canada to host respiratory therapy students for dedicated research rotations. 

For Leigh, the long view is clear: “When I was training, the ICU was full of patients dying from asthma. Today, that’s rare. That didn’t happen by chance, it happened because of .” 

The message the team hopes the public takes away is simple, but powerful: advances in lung health depend on partnership between scientists, clinicians, philanthropists and the community. 

“Medicine doesn’t move forward without people,” Leigh says. “Participation matters. Philanthropy matters. And, together, they change lives.”