KFO 123:  Lung Transplantation

• Subject Area: Medicine
• Term: from 2004 to 2011
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5397299

The aim of the proposed research project is to improve the outcome for patients with terminal, chronic pulmonary failure. In view of a mortality of nearly 30% on the waiting list for transplantation, a significant increase in available donor organs is necessary and suitable projects will be initiated. A further relevant goal of the Clinical Research Unit is improvement of long-term results by improved prophylaxis, diagnosis, and therapy of BOS (Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrom), thereby increasing post-Tx survival rates. In addition, quality of life will be improved by a more standardised psychologic care for the patients.With these goals reached, the strategic goal of an increased acceptance of lung transplant at other centers, as well as an increase in transplantation figures at existing centers can be reached. For this purpose, postgraduate training of scientists and clinicians will be offered in parallel to the experimental and clinical projects from the beginning of this research project.At the Hannover Medical School, interdisciplinary research projects in transplantation medicine have been in existence for a number of years, however, they did not include the field of lung transplantation in a systematic fashion. A further aim of the research project, therefore, is generation of intensified research in the field and networking between related research groups, including improved cooperation between basic science and clinical application. This is especially important for the young generation of experimental researchers and clinicians, where undergraduate and graduate training will be initiated. Undergraduate and postgraduate training will concentrate on several items:-- increase in the number and quality of available donor organs (project 1)-- improvement of long-term results after lung transplantation (projects 2, 3, 4, 5),-- reduction in the number of necessary lung transplantations by development of alternative therapies (projects 6, 7).

• DFG Programme: Clinical Research Units

Projects

• Central project A: Coordination (Applicant Haverich, Axel )
• Central project B: Service Unit for lung specimen (clinical and experimental, former part of project 3) (Applicant Welte, Tobias )
• Compartment-specific gene and protein expression during early phases of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplantation (Applicant von Neuhoff, Nils )
• Development of a bioartificial trachea (Applicant Macchiarini, Paolo )
• Differentiation of embryonic stem cells into type II alveolar epithelial cells: Identification of key factors for differentiation, proof of functionality and establishment of a preclinical nonhuman primate in vitro model (Applicant Martin, Ulrich )
• Ex-situ and in-situ lung preservation for transplantation in a porcine system modelling living-related lung lobe donation (Applicant Gohrbandt, Bernhard )
• Impact of leukocyte migration on chronic rejection of pulmonary grafts - investigations in a model of subcutaneous transplantation of tracheal allografts (Applicant Simon, André R. )
• Implementation of a living-related organ donation program in clinical lung transplantation: role of psychological, physiologic and immunologic parameters (Applicant Strüber, Martin )
• Induction of donor-specific peripheral tolerance after lung transplantation in a rat model of orthotopic single-lung transplantation (Applicant Simon, André R. )
• Induction of T cell regulation in a model of living-related donor lung transplantation in miniature swine (Applicant Strüber, Martin )
• Recruitment and activation of fibroblasts in lung allografts undergoing chronic injury (Applicant Jonigk, Danny David )

• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Axel Haverich
• Leader: Professor Dr. Ulrich Martin