Hannover becomes one site of the German Centre for Lung Research

On Friday, november 5th, a blue ribbon jury of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has announced the decision that Hannover is elected being one site of the German Centre for Lung Research (DZL).

Together with the Leibniz University and the Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), the Hannover Medical School (MHH) applied at the BMBF, and could convince with their concept. The success reflects again that the MHH and their regional established network is substantially contributing to the field of medical research. Among Gießen/Marburg, Heidelberg, Munich, and Borstel/Lübeck, Hannover is going to be one of five sites in Germany that will join the DZL and join top level researchers in the field of pneumology.

Diseases of the lung belong to the most common causes of death in Germany and also worldwide and they are characterized by severe disease affliction. Currently, there are little effective opportunities for the therapy of most of the chronic lung diseases. For long-lasting and more successful treatment of lung diseases, a scientific and structural coordinated research is required rising to those challenges.

With the establishment of the DZL, the BMBF aims for assembling the best university and non-university research institutions in the field of pneumology. Basic, disease-, and patient-oriented research in the field of lung diseases is supposed to be coordinated based on the centre and performed on international top level, to ensure most efficiently the translation of basal scientific findings into clinical concepts for the improvement of patient care.

The network of the three research institutions is located in Hannover and is going to bear the name Biomedical Research in Endstage And ObsTructive Lung Disease Hannover, BREATH for short, and will be coordinated by Prof. Dr. Tobias Welte (Clinic for Pneumology, MHH).