Research

In the DZL, doctors and scientists are concerned primarily with diseases that are today still considered to be incurable and therefore pursue concrete aims for the individual symptoms. Knowledge gained from basic research, for example, should be used in the development of biomarkers for improved phenotyping of patients and these, in turn, should influence the development of new therapies.

The DZL addresses the following diseases:

• asthma and allergic diseases
• pneumonia – acute respiratory insufficiency
• cystic fibrosis
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• diffuse parenchymal lung disease
• end-stage lung diseases
• pulmonary hypertension
• lung cancer

With its multifaceted range of specialization, the BREATH research network is involved in the research of all eight lung diseases on which the DZL focuses.

Due to the fact that there are overlaps in all of these diseases as far as the origin or development of the disease is concerned, the joint integrated procedure orients itself towards the following dynamic processes:

• development – regeneration – repair
• inflammation (infectious and non-infectious) – remission of the inflammation
• benign and malignant hyperproliferation

In each of the disease areas, the complete chain of translation is covered, from research on molecular signatures and signal pathways of the emergence of the disease to translation of clinical studies and patient care. This is achieved by the simultaneous involvement of basic research scientists and clinically active scientists and doctors.

The combination of detailed clinical information with molecular data, data from disease models, the latest technology and systems biological approaches in the DZL will lead through structured cooperation to more rapid and qualitatively better results. Complementary to the translation chain (bench-to-bedside), lung diseases will not only be considered simply as airway or vascular diseases, but also in collaboration with the tissues that constitute this special organ and in the development from child to aging adult.