In this field, the DZL research groups have shed light on the central mechanisms of inflammatory cell defense in pneumonia and ARDS. BREATH makes important contributions to the solution of the protective immune response of the lung to bacterial pathogens.

Furthermore, BREATH has identified basophils to be the cellular adjuvant which enhances the second immune reaction of the intact protein antigens. Prof. Dr. Tobias Welte is the Chairman of the German Competence Network for community acquired pneumonia (CAPNETZ), founded by the BMBF, which is the largest prospective control study on CAP worldwide. In this study up to now, biomaterial from more than 10.000 CAP patients has been collected.