Obstructive lung diseases: structural heterogeneity and innate immune tasks for sustained disease modification.

This project explores structural heterogeneity in COPD and bronchiolitis obliterans after lung transplantation in relation with host innate immunity and microbiome. We hypothesize that local changes in the microbiome convert a balanced immune system into a chronic inflammatory process with heterogenously dispersed tissue destruction and remoddeling. Innovative imaging tools will be used for the 'in vivo' small airway monitoring and sampling of early disease stages and for the 'ex vivo' structural, molecular and bacterial characterisation of explant lungs representative of endstage disease. Within this context, we further investigate the molecular pathways of vitamin D signaling and neomacrolide substitution as potential control mechanims of innate immune responses against environmental triggers and bacteria. Co-cultures of airway cells and preclinical animal models will be used to identify selective mechanisms and phenotypes as therapeutic targets for future intervention trials.

Keywords:Obstructive lung diseases

Disciplines:Respiratory medicine