Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung (DZL)

Patient Forum at the Lung Congress: Patients Ask, Experts Answer A standout event at the German Respiratory Society (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pneumologie und Beatmungsmedizin e.V.) Congress in March was the Lung Patient Forum. Around 200 people with lung disease attended and took the opportunity to put their questions to leading #experts in #lung #research. The overwhelmingly positive feedback underscored the popularity of this format, which was organized in cooperation with the #Lung #Information #Service and the German Lung Congress. The forum began with brief updates from the specialists: - Prof. Dr. med. Monika Gappa discussed factors influencing lung health throughout life and recommended measures to maintain healthy lungs. - Prof. Dr. med. @Michael Kreuter from the DZL introduced the diversity of #interstitial lung diseases and the importance of detailed diagnosis for effective treatment. - Prof. Dr. med. Christiane Lex presented key facts about #asthma in children and adolescents, emphasizing unique aspects of diagnosis and therapy. - Prof. Dr. med. Marek Lommatzsch reviewed the evolution of #asthma treatment in adults, from constant acute therapy in the 20th century to personalized approaches in the 21st century. - Dr. med. Nicole Maison, a DZL researcher, highlighted new diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities along with current research on #allergies in children and adolescents. - Prof. Dr. med. Klaus F. Rabe, a DZL researcher and board member, examined the factors influencing the onset and progression of #COPD, alongside current therapy recommendations. - Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Gernot Rohde, another DZL researcher, provided an update on #respiratory #infections, covering risk factors, diagnostics, treatment, and prevention. - Dr. med. Hubert Schädler discussed the mechanisms of cough development and potential causes of #chronic #cough. - Prof. Dr. med. Wolfgang Schütte addressed current topics in #lung #cancer, spanning prevention, various treatment methods, and new concepts for metastatic stages. This informative event underscored the crucial role of patient engagement in advancing lung health awareness and education. #DZL #LungCongress2024 #LungHealth #PatientForum #RespiratoryHealth #LungDiseaseAwareness #AsthmaAwareness #COPD #LungCancerResearch #PulmonaryMedicine #HealthEducation #PatientEngagement #MedicalResearch #DZL #DeutscherLungentag #LungInformationService #Lungeninformationsdienst

New SYNERGIE Magazine on the "Exposome" Published The latest issue of the DZG magazine, #SYNERGIE, has been released! This year's first issue focuses on the "exposome" — all external factors affecting the body. Although the term "exposome" is relatively new, the impact of environmental influences on human health has become a major research area. Researchers are examining how short-term and long-term exposures affect the body's regulatory systems, with changes in #epigenetic markers that can alter #gene #expression over time. The cover story of this SYNERGIE issue highlights the importance of the #exposome in all diseases studied by the German Centres for Health Research (DZG). This theme is further explored in a foreword by Prof. Wolfgang Wick, Chairman of the German Council of Science and Humanities. Highlight on DZL’s Contribution: "What Does the Breath Tell Us?" SYNERGIE aims to present the latest DZG research in an accessible manner for science and medicine enthusiasts. This issue emphasizes translational projects. The DZL contribution discusses measuring "Volatile Organic Compounds" (#VOCs) in exhaled air and the potential for diagnosing diseases or specific phenotypes from these compounds. Dr. Nicole Maison (CPC-M) and Dr. Olaf Holz (BREATH) share findings from the #ALLIANCE asthma register. The issue also features young scientist Dr. Carola Voss from Munich. How to Read SYNERGIE You can read the new #SYNERGIE articles on the website by following this link: https://dzg-magazin.de or via the e-reader: https://lnkd.in/e98i5kCR For a tactile experience, you can also subscribe to the #print edition: https://lnkd.in/dqYcJ7At #DZL #SYNERGIEmagazine #Exposome #DZG #HealthResearch #TranslationalScience #Epigenetics #VOCs #AsthmaResearch #ScientificPublication #HealthInfluences #ScienceCommunication #EnvironmentalHealth #GeneExpression #ResearchHighlights

National Strategy for Gene and Cell-Based Therapies The "National Strategy for Gene- and Cell-Based Therapies" was presented to the German Federal Minister of Research, Bettina Stark-Watzinger, on June 12. The aim is to improve patient care and strengthen Germany's position in the field of gene and cell-based therapies (GCT). In fall 2022, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) commissioned the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) to coordinate the creation of a national strategy for gene- and cell-based therapies. Around 150 experts from various stakeholder groups drew up the paper and developed a roadmap for improving healthcare and strengthening Germany as a location for gene- and cell-based therapies. Several experts from the German Centers for Health Research (DZG), to which the Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung (DZL) belongs, were also represented in the various working groups. #Gene and #cell-based #therapies offer innovative treatment options that directly target the genetic causes of diseases. This is particularly promising for patients with severe and rare diseases. The strategy includes eight lines of action: 1. stakeholder networking and support 2. training and capacity building 3. technology transfer 4. standards and regulatory frameworks 5. building quality and capacity in GMP manufacturing 6. research and development 7. market approval and transition to supply 8. interaction with society The strategy will be implemented in a national network, supported by measures such as a National Network Office for Gene and Cell Therapies and the GeneNovate entrepreneurship program. 48 million euros are available for the years 2023-2026 to implement these measures. Read more about the "National Strategy for Gene and Cell-Based Therapies" on the DZL website: https://lnkd.in/eyMXhb5X

Emerging Scientist Award for Olivia Merkel in the field of inhalation science Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung (DZL) scientist Prof. Olivia Merkel received the award for significant scientific achievements or innovations in the early stages of her career at the DDL (Drug Delivery to the Lungs) conference in Edinburgh in December 2023. It is endowed with one thousand pounds. Prof. Olivia Merkel's research focuses on non-viral, inhaled RNA therapeutics or the delivery of biologically active RNA molecules to lymphocytes and macrophages in the fight against #lung #diseases or #cancer. Since 2015, Merkel has been Professor of Drug Delivery at the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU). She is also the Principal Investigator of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL). Are you interested in research on innovative RNA therapies for chronic lung diseases? Follow this link to see the video where Olivia Merkel explains her science in a nutshell: https://lnkd.in/di9vgdE9 #DZL, #DZG, #LungResearch, #LungDisease, #Science, #Inhalation

🌟 Highlights from the 12th DZL Annual Meeting in Bad Nauheim 🌟 We are incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us for our 12th DZL Annual Meeting , held from June 5-7, 2024, at the UGMLC site in Bad Nauheim. This year, we achieved a record-breaking number of participants and showcased the largest Poster Session in DZL history! Key Highlights: - Record attendance 📈 - Largest Poster Session ever with 388 posters 🖼️ - 54 hours of working group meetings, 97 teaser presentations, and 15 plenary lectures 🎤 - Inaugural meeting of the newly composed Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) 🌐 - Announcement of significant changes in the DZL Board 📣 - Recognition of outstanding research with the DZL Poster Awards 🏆 We sincerely thank each one of you for your valuable contributions and look forward to advancing progress in lung research together. Check out our website for a full recap of the event! #DZLAnnualMeeting2024 #DZL #GermanCenterforLungResearch

Breaking the vicious cycle: Triple therapy strengthens nasal mucosal barrier function Treatment with the #CFTR modulators elexacaftor, tezacaftor and ivacaftor improves innate defenses in the nasal mucosa and reduces inflammatory reactions in children with #cystic #fibrosis. This was shown by researchers at the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin in a study funded by Mukoviszidose e.V. using epithelial and immune cells from the upper respiratory tract. The #triple #therapy with the CFTR modulators elexacaftor, tezacaftor and ivacaftor for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), which is approved in Europe since 2020, is effective and safe. This has now been confirmed in long-term studies of up to three years. It is also now known that the function of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) ion channel, which is affected by CF, recovers under treatment. Researchers at the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin have now shown in single cells from the nasal mucosa of children with CF aged 6 to 11 years that the #inflammatory reactions of the immune cells in the upper #respiratory tract decrease under #triple #therapy and that the innate defenses also recover. The results underline the potential of CFTR modulators to stop the vicious cycle of infection, inflammation, and progressive lung damage in CF and to restore epithelial homeostasis and immune defense, especially if treatment is started early," said Dr. Saskia Trump, who led the study together with Dr. Simon Gräber and Prof. Marcus Mall. The epithelium is the uppermost cell layer of the mucosa and plays a crucial role in maintaining a stable internal environment in the body, known as homeostasis. It serves as a barrier that regulates which substances enter the body. The research team looked at which #genes were active in #immune and #epithelial cells from the children's nasal mucosa. They analyzed the cell samples once at the beginning and after the triple therapy and compared them with samples from the nasal mucosa of healthy children. They used single-cell transcriptomics, which allowed them to measure the activity of thousands of genes simultaneously. According to Trump and her colleagues, further studies are now needed that include CF patients of different ages and with different stages of lung disease. Among other things, the researchers want to determine whether the triple therapy also has a positive effect on the cells of the upper airways in older patients with more severe lung disease. #DZL, #DZG, #LungResearch, #LungDisease, #Science, #TripleTherapy, #CFTR, #CysticFibrosis, #Inflammation

How the body repairs lung tissue after viral pneumonia How does the body repair damage to lung tissue after #viral #pneumonia, and how can these processes be influenced therapeutically? These are the questions being addressed by an international team of researchers led by Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung (DZL) scientist Professor Dr. Susanne Herold, a lung and infection researcher specializing in internal medicine, infectious diseases, and experimental pneumology at Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen (#JLU). Infections with respiratory viruses such as #influenza, respiratory #syncytial virus (RSV) or #coronaviruses can cause viral pneumonia, which in severe cases can lead to lung failure. Researchers have identified a protein that mitigates lung damage caused by influenza viruses and may have therapeutic potential. Severe pneumonia is associated with a rapid decline in lung gas exchange, requiring rapid regeneration of damaged lung tissue. #Macrophages, also known as phagocytes, play an important role in repairing inflammation-induced lung damage. They are a critical component of the immune defense process, helping to eliminate pathogens from the body. There are two types of macrophages: circulating macrophages, which can travel through the bloodstream to the site of infection, and "resident" tissue macrophages, which are bound to specific tissues, such as alveolar macrophages in the lungs. Tissue-resident alveolar macrophages are long-lived cells found in the air sacs (alveoli) of the lungs, where gas exchange between blood and air takes place. They maintain stable conditions in the lung tissue (tissue homeostasis) and are involved in the immediate defense against pathogens. Several studies have shown that during viral pneumonia, alveolar macrophages are depleted and gradually replaced by migratory #bone #marrow-derived macrophages, which transform into alveolar macrophages in the inflamed lung. The research team found that a protein called #Plet1 is produced at high levels during the transformation of resident macrophages into alveolar macrophages. Plet1 plays a critical role in #lung #repair by inducing the proliferation of alveolar epithelial cells - specialized cells that line the lung's air sacs - and the resealing of this cell layer barrier. These beneficial effects could also be induced externally: in a preclinical model, administration of Plet1 attenuated viral lung damage and led to much faster recovery from severe infections that would otherwise be fatal. "For the first time, we have identified a factor that directly mediates the repair of damaged lungs. This finding underlines the therapeutic potential of Plet1 in combating severe lung damage caused by viral pneumonia and possibly other forms of acute or chronic lung failure," said Prof. Herold. #DZL, #DZG, #LungResearch, #LungDisease, #Science, #LungRepair, #Pneumonia, #Macrophages

Research Awards for DZL Early Career Scientists Arturo Olivares Rivera (basic research) and Dr. Philipp Höger (clinical research) from the Thoraxklinik am Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg have been awarded research prizes of €15,000 each by the Alpha Center Germany for their outstanding research proposals on alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency and the improvement of clinical treatment options. AAT deficiency is a genetic condition that can cause lung and liver damage. As members of the research group led by Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung (DZL) scientist Prof. Dr. Franziska Trudzinski, they are investigating new treatment methods for this genetically inherited disease, which increases the risk of lung disease with age. Insufficient production of AAT protein leads to increased activity of an enzyme that promotes tissue destruction, especially under the influence of cigarette smoke and other pollutants. This increases the risk of #chronic #obstructive #pulmonary #disease (#COPD) and #bronchiectasis. Arturo Olivares-Rivera's project will focus on the clinical and molecular characterization of patients with severe alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. Dr. Philipp Höger will conduct a pilot study to compare visual assessment with fully automated assessment of bronchiectasis in patients with AAT deficiency. #DZL #DZG #LungResearch #LungDisease #Science #AAT #COPD

Innate mechanism protects bacteria from last-resort antibiotic New research has shown that bacteria have an innate mechanism that protects them from the last-resort antibiotic polymyxin. A study by Dr. Anna Lena Jung of the Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung (DZL) at the Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany, investigated the behavior of #polymyxin against the bacterium #Klebsiella #pneumoniae, which is particularly dangerous for immunocompromised patients and is increasingly resistant to conventional antibiotics. The study by PhD student Marie Burt and colleagues revealed that Klebsiella pneumoniae releases more vesicles under the influence of polymyxin. These vesicles intercept the antibiotic and prevent it from attacking the bacterial membrane. Remarkably, these vesicles protect not only the producing bacteria, but also neighboring susceptible microbes such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The researchers found that the dose of polymyxin that reaches the lungs is often too low to be effective because higher doses would damage the kidneys. This allows the bacteria to activate their defense mechanism, making treatment more difficult. Mass spectrometry analysis showed that under antibiotic stress, bacteria change the composition of the vesicle shell to contain less lipid A, which is normally the main target of polymyxin. The increased release of vesicles still releases enough lipid A into the environment to scavenge the antibiotic. This mechanism only occurs in Klebsiella that have been tested as polymyxin susceptible prior to treatment. Bacteria with genetic polymyxin resistance alter the gene for lipid A so that polymyxin can no longer bind. Dr. Jung emphasizes the need for further research to develop new antimicrobial peptides that do not trigger stress-induced protective mechanisms in bacteria in the face of increasing antibiotic resistance. Read more about the findings on the DZL website by following the link below. #DZL #DZG #PulmonaryResearch #LungDisease #Science #AntibioticResistance #Polymyxin #Bacteria #KlebsiellaPneumoniae #Lung #Infectiousdiseases #Antibiotics 

Protect against respiratory illness: Medical Groups Recommend New RSV Vaccine A coalition of eleven medical associations and institutions is advocating the vaccination of people over the age of 60, especially those with pre-existing conditions, against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This call to action follows the approval of two RSV vaccines in the European Union, marking a significant step forward in the fight against serious respiratory disease in older adults. Professor Wolfram Windisch, President of the German Society for Pneumology and Respiratory Medicine, emphasizes the importance of vaccination for people with weakened immune systems or pre-existing pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. RSV infections, which often peak during the winter months, pose a serious threat to vulnerable populations, including those with malignant blood cancers. Professor Martin Witzenrath, lead author of the recommendation, points out that the disease burden and mortality rates of RSV infections are comparable to those of pneumonia following influenza or pneumococcal infections. He also highlights the risk of serious complications associated with RSV infection. Despite the prevalence of RSV disease, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, detection remains challenging due to the lack of sensitive rapid tests. As a result, many cases of RSV infection remain unrecognized in clinical practice. With the recent approval of RSV vaccines in the EU, individuals are encouraged to consider vaccination options, particularly as reimbursement may be available through health insurance. However, as official recommendations from the Standing Committee on Vaccination are still pending, individuals are advised to consult with their healthcare providers before seeking vaccination. Click here to go directly to the "Position Paper on RSV Vaccination for Patients at Special Risk": https://lnkd.in/eEFv-i8a #DZL, #DZG, #PulmonaryResearch, #LungDisease, #Science, #RSV