Role of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of obstructive airway diseases

Genetic predisposition and the environment play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of obstructive airway diseases, such as asthma and COPD. This translational project will unravel the contribution of epigenetic changes, in particular of microRNAs, in the pathogenesis of both diseases using expression analyses, in vitro studies on human cell cultures and in vivo research on murine models of asthma en COPD.