Research in the field of endstage lung disease (ELD) is one of the main topics at the MHH. The polyclinic has approx. 10.000 patient contacts per year and more than 1.000 of these patients are treated for endstage lung diseases, including ECMO.

One of the main areas of research is the medical complications occurring after lung transplantation (Post-Tx). Here, bronchiolitis obliterans and various other infections are of importance. Clinical research is complemented by targeted basic research (e.g. biological infections, leukocyte transport in the lung, identification of antimicrobial defense mechanisms in animal experiments). BREATH research in the field of immunology after lung transplantation is carried out using a unique extensive lung transplantation animal model on minipigs. This was specially developed for the protocolled study of transplantation tolerance.

Basic researchers at the MHH also have a great interest in the development of innovative strategies for lung regeneration and lung reconstruction, which includes stem cell research and, for example, tissue engineering procedures. In addition, the scientists have many years’ experience in adult and embryonal stem cell research (ES). Among other things, they have paved the way for the isolation of human pluripotent stem cells (iPS) from cord blood.

At BREATH, experimental and clinical research in the field of ELD is complemented by health services research and health management, which set out to perform special analyses with regard to management plans for different diseases in clinical practice.