Evolutionary Medicine of the Lung (EvoLUNG) - Leibniz ScienceCampus Borstel/Kiel

Despite great advances in diagnostics and treatment, lung diseases are still on the rise globally and are one of the most common causes of death. The Leibniz ScienceCampus “Evolutionary Medicine of the Lung (EvoLUNG)” is working towards a better understanding of how chronic lung diseases such as tuberculosis and asthma arise and develop.

To this end, the EvoLUNG researchers are working together in interdisciplinary teams to study not only the origins and proliferation of multi-resistant pathogens in the lungs, but also the evolution of genetic variations in humans that foster lung disease. They are also investigating the complex interactions between disease genes, micro-organisms, pathogens and environmental factors in the development of lung diseases.

In the long term, EvoLUNG seeks to develop better diagnostic tools and improve therapies for diseases such as asthma, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis and chronic bronchitis. The researchers will particularly focus on the avoidance of resistance development in the progression of tuberculosis and cystic fibrosis, and to create a better understanding of the role played by the body’s own microbiota in the development of asthma.