Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fibrotic interstitial lung disease. It affects the lung parenchyma and leads to impaired breathing and dyspnea. The disease is progressive with a high mortality within few years after diagnosis. Disease progression is difficult to predict and although drugs are available, that slow down disease progression, no cure is available so far. Discovery of new pathways to predict, stop and ideally reverse disease progression are thus crucial to discover new diagnostic and treatment possibilities for these patients.
Our aim is to study new promising mechanism and pathways in lung fibrosis that can be useful for clinical application, emphasising the synergy between the basic and clinical breakthroughs as a part of a translational research.
Our translational research includes the analysis of clinical data and blood samples.
In our basic research laboratory, we focus on in vitro (e.g. lung fibroblasts) and ex vivo (human lung tissue) models to evaluate new diagnostic and therapeutic options. We also develop individualized treatment strategies in a personalised medicine approach.
