Date Time Researcher examining new link between obesity and asthma An early-career scientist from The University of Western Australia who is analysing the connection between obesity and asthma was selected to present her research at the 2021 FameLab Western Australia semi-final. The competition invites Australia’s brightest minds to discuss their STEM-focused research in three minutes or less. Third-year PhD student Carolyn Wang, from UWA’s School of Human Sciences, said her research aimed to determine how obesity affects asthma, with a focus on examining fat within the airway walls. “I hope to explain how airway fat contributes to the development and exacerbation of asthma, particularly in the context of airway disease.”