The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research

As anticipation builds for Lunar New Year celebrations (17 February-3 March), Distinguished Professor Brian Oliver, the Woolcock’s Respiratory Cellular and Molecular Biology research leader, attended New Year celebration hosted by the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Sydney last week. It was an evening marking cultural tradition and international connection ahead of the Year of the Horse.

In Chinese tradition, the Horse symbolises strength, endurance, energy, and forward momentum. In the dynamic cycle of the Fire Horse, that spirit is intensified — a year associated with vitality and bold drive.

For those of us in respiratory and sleep science, the Horse carries a meaningful and unexpected relevance. Horses are one of the few animals that naturally develop a condition closely resembling human asthma. Known as “heaves,” or equine asthma, it is a chronic inflammatory airway disease triggered by environmental irritants such as dust and mould. Like people with asthma, affected horses require careful airway management to breathe freely and perform at their best.

Even the strongest creatures depend on clear air.

Horses also offer insight into sleep. While they can rest standing thanks to a specialised “stay apparatus” in their limbs, they must lie down to achieve deep, restorative REM sleep. True recovery requires safety, stability and trust in the environment.

As we enter the Year of the Horse, these parallels feel fitting. Endurance is not simply speed; it is sustained breath. Progress is not constant motion; it is knowing when to pause and restore.

In respiratory health and sleep research, vitality begins at the cellular level – in healthy airways, balanced inflammation and restorative rest.

May the Year of the Horse bring strong lungs, deep sleep and steady momentum for the year ahead.

Find out more

• Respiratory Research at the Woolcock
• Sleep Research at the Woolcock
• Our Respiratory Cellular and Molecular Biology research group