Supported projects

Since 2013 the Swiss Lung Association's Research Fund has supported various innovative research projects. Sorted by year you will find a list of all funded projects, along with a short description of each study.

Supported projects 2022

Unraveling the protective role of endothelial cell MAGI1 in lung fibrosis

Dr. Jimmy Stalin, University of Fribourg

Project description (in German)

Project description (in English)

 

Comparison of two modes of the insufflator/exsufflator technique in paediatric subjects with neuromuscular disease: a randomised multi-crossover trial

PD Dr. med. Thomas Riedel, University Children's Hospital, Inselspital

Project description (in German)

Project description (in English)

 

Linking the newly identified androglobin to pulmonary and tracheal ciliary function

Dr. Anna Keppner, University of Fribourg

Project description (in German)

Project description (in English)

 

Effect of a digital lifestyle intervention on health-related quality of life in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after rehabilitation: a multicenter randomized controlled trial

Prof. Dr. sc. techn. habil. Kai-Uwe Schmitt, Bern University of Applied Sciences

Project description (in German)

Project description (in English)

 

Point-of-care ultrasound for the diagnosis and risk stratification of lower respiratory tract infections in TB endemic regions: a multicenter prospective cohort study

Dr. med. Dr. phil. Noémie Boillat-Blanco, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV)

Project description (in German)

Project description (in English)

Supported projects 2021

Cell specific targeted gene editing of hepatocytes for treatment of Alpha1 antitrypsin deficiency

Dr. Tiziana Cremona, Universität Bern
Project description (in German)

 

Swiss registry of children with home respiratory support

Dr. Sophie Guérin, Universitätsspital Lausanne, CHUV
Project description (in German)
Project description (in French)

 

Targeting cytosolic DNA sensors cGAS/STING and AIM2 during lung ex vivo perfusion to reduce posttransplant allograft inflammation and damage

Dr. Jérôme Lugrin, Universitätsspital Lausanne, CHUV
Project description (in German)
Project description (in French)

 

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and the risk of COgnitive DEcline in the elderly population – The OSA-CODE study

Dr. Nicola Marchi, Universitätsspital Lausanne, CHUV
Project description (in German)
Project description (in French)
Project description (in Italian)

 

Phenotypes of primary ciliary dyskinesia and their association with genetic mutations and disease progression

Dr. Eva Sophie Lunde Pedersen, Universität Bern
Project description (in German)

 

Regulation of pulmonary GM-CSF in the context of allergic airway inflammation

Prof. Christoph Schneider, Universität Zürich
Project description (in German)

Supported projects 2020


Drug tolerance in chronic respiratory infections

Dr. Lucas Boeck, University Hospital Basel
Project description (in German)

 

Altitude-induced breathing, sleep and cognitive impairments in healthy individuals older than 40 years and effect of preventive acetazolamide. Randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind trial.

Dr. Michael Furian, University Hospital Zurich
Project accomplished (in German)​​​​​​​

 

Efficacy of ready4life - a digital coaching program for addiction prevention among vocational school students in Switzerland

Dr. Severin Haug, University of Zurich
Project description (in German)

 

Effects of hypoxia on pulmonary hemodynamics at rest and during exercise – implications and therapeutic strategies for patients with COPD

Dr. Mona Lichtblau, University Hospital Zurich
Project description (in German)

 

A simplified method of twitch mouth pressure measurement for the diagnosis of diaphragmatic dysfunction

Dr. Georgia Mitropoulou, University Hospital Lausanne
Project description (in German)

 

Lung microbiome in obesity-associated asthma: cause or consequence?

Dr. Niki Ubags, University Hospital Lausanne
Project description (in German)

 

Effects of air pollution on lung function and lung growth in Swiss children

Dr. Jakob Usemann, University Children’s Hospital Zurich
Project description (in German)

Supported projects 2019


Role of alternative RNA splicing in the regulation of antiviral responses of the respiratory epithelium.

Dr. Marco Alves, University of Bern
Project accomplished (in German)

 

Predicting asthma attacks in Swiss children: a clinical cohort study.

Prof. Dr. med. Cristina Ardura-Garcia, University of Bern
Project description (in German)
Project description (in French)

 

Tailored intervention on nutrition and exercise for obstructive sleep apnea patients treated with CPAP: TINE STUDY

Dr. Mathieu Berger, University Hospital Lausanne
Project description (in German)
Project description (in French)

 

Establishing a Swiss National Lung Cancer Screening Program

Prof. Dr. med. Christophe von Garnier, University Hospital Lausanne
Project accomplished (in German)
Full project report (in English)

 

Patient-specific, stem-cell derived lung organoids - a step to precision medicine

Prof. Dr. Thomas Geiser, University Hospital Bern
Project description (in German)
Project description (in French)

 

CT-based radiomics texture signature for the prediction of drug response to nintedanib in experimental lung fibrosis

PD Dr. med. Britta Maurer, University Hospital of Zürich
Project accomplished (in German)

Supported projects 2018


Effect of Hepatocyte growth factor on regulatory T cells in bleomycin injured rat lung.

Dr. Fabian Blank, University of Bern
Project accomplished (in German)


Lung microbiota signatures in the light of frailty in lung transplant recipients: bacteria-virus-host interactions from bench to bedside.

Dr. med. Angela Koutsokera, Lausanne University Hospital
Project accomplished (in German)


A genome wide screen for drug resistance and drug tolerance mechanisms in Mycobacterium abscessus - a pathogen referred to as «antibiotic nightmare».

Prof. Peter Sander, University of Zurich
Project accomplished (in German)
Project accomplished (in French)
Project accomplished (in Italian)
This project is supported by the Georg und Bertha Schwyzer-Winiker Stiftung


Comparative effects between electronic cigarette vapour and cigarette smoke on inflammation and wound healing in human gingival keratinocytes.

Prof. Patrick Schmidlin, University of Zurich
Project accomplished (in German)

Supported projects 2017


A novel auto-regulatory mechanism causing drug resistance of airway wall remodelling and mitochondrial activity in asthma.

Dr. Michael Roth, University Hospital Basel
Project accomplished (in German)
 

Early life exposure to nicotine affects the repair capacity of lung in adult mice.

Prof. Dr. Constance Barazzone-Argiroffo, University Hospital of Geneva
Project accomplished (in German)

 

Assessment of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of allergic asthma.

Dr. Alexander Eggel, University of Bern
Project accomplished (in German)
This project is supported by the Uniscientia Stiftung


Fluctuation dynamics of biomarkerst o predict exacerbations in asthma: A stepping stone for early intervention.

Prof. Dr. med. Urs Frey, University Children's Hospital Basel
Project accomplished (in German)
Project accomplished (in French)
​​​Project accomplished (in Italian)

 

Effect of a long-term home-based exercise training using minimal equipment vs. usual care in COPD patients: A multicentre randomized controlled trial.

Dr. Anja Frei, University of Zurich
Project accomplished (in German)
This project is supported by the Uranus Stiftung


Molecular regulation of innate lymphoid cell type 2 in lung disease.

Dr. Philippe Krebs, University of Bern
Project accomplished (in German)​​​​​​​
This project is supported by the Stiftung Lindenhof

Supported projects 2016


Investigation into air transmission of highly pathogenic viruses.

Assoc. Ph.D. Stefan Kunz, Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Lausanne
Project accomplished (in German)
 

The microenvironment of stem cells in the fibrotic lung – does it matter?

PD Dr. med. / Dr. phil. Nat. Katrin Hostettler Haack, Department of Biomedicine and Clinic of Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Basel
Project accomplished (in German)

 

Integrated care of co-morbidities versus standard care after acute hypercapnic respiratory failure in the intensive care unit: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Dr. Dan Adler, Pneumology Department, University Hospital Geneva
Project description (in German)
 

Support by smartphone app and carbon monoxide self-monitoring for smoking cessation: A randomised controlled trial nested into the Swiss HIV Cohort Study

Prof. Dr. med Heiner Bucher, Basel Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University Hospital Basel
Project accomplished (in German) 
 

Unravelling protective signalling pathways in acute lung injury using a novel lung-on-chip technology

PD Dr. med. Stefan Freigang, Institute of Pathology, University of Bern
Project accomplished (in German)
This project is supported by the Uniscientia Stiftung

 

Impact of a pharmaceutical care intervention to improve adherence of inhaled medication in asthma and COPD patients

Prof. Dr. med Jörg Leuppi, University Clinic of Medicine, Cantonal Hospital Baselland
Project accomplished (in German)

Supported projects 2015

 

Reduction of corticosteroid use in outpatient treatment of exacerbated COPD – a randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority study

Prof. Dr. med. Jörg Leuppi, Hospital of Baselland
Project description (in German)
This project is supported by the Parrotia Stiftung

 

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Prof. Dr. med. Malcolm Kohler, Division of Pulmonology, University Hospital Zurich
Project accomplished

 

Natural history of lung cancer in Switzerland and cost-effectiveness of low-dose computed tomography screening

Prof. Dr. med. PhD Milo Puhan, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich
Project accomplished
This project is supported by the Spendenstiftung Bank Vontobel

 

Azithromycin for immunomodulatory treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis – a clinical trial

Dr. med. Funke-Chambour, Inselspital Bern, Department of Pulmonology
Project accomplished (in German)​​​​​​​
This project is supported by the Stiftung Lindenhof

 

Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformations, a translational study: a key to understand lung development in 2015?

MD PhD Isabelle Ruchonnet-Métrailler, Pathology and Immunology Department, Medical Faculty of Geneva
Project accomplished (in German)
This project is supported by the Fiona Stiftung and the Werner Geissberger Stiftung

 

Effects of chronic cigarette smoke exposure and pathogen infection on microbial colonization and emphysema in mice

DVM PhD / PD Dr. med.vet. Dr. phil. Charaf Benarafa, Theodor Kocher Institute, University of Bern
Project accomplished​​​​​​​ (in German)

 

Glycosaminoglycans as systemic markers for acute exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Prof. Daiana Stolz, Clinic of Pulmonary Medicine and Respiratory Cell Research, University Hospital Basel
Project accomplished (in German)

Supported projects 2014

 

Cell and gene therapy based approach for Alpha1-Antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency

PhD Dr. med. Izabela Nita, Department of Pulmonary Medicine for Adults, University Hospital Bern

Project accomplished (in German)

 

Evaluation der Wirksamkeit von Beratungsgesprächen zur Förderung der körperlichen Alltagsaktivität bei Patienten mit Chronisch Obstruktiver Lungenerkrankung

Dr. med. Thomas Hess, Internal medicine and pneumology, Cantonal Hospital Winterthur

Project accomplished (in German)​​​​​​​

 

Assessment of Immunomodulatory Effects in COPD Following Inhalation of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes in an Occupational setting

PHD Dr.phil.Nat. Fabian Blank, Respiratory Medicine, Berne University Hospital

Project accomplished (in German)

 

Reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometry in moderate to servere COPD: A new tool?

Prof. Dr. med. Daiana Stolz, Clinic of Pulmonary Medicine and Respiratory Cell Research, University Hospital Basel

Project accomplished (in German)

 

Novel immunodiagnostic approaches for childhood tuberculosis infection and disease

Dr. med. PhD Nicole Ritz, University Children’s Hospital Basel

Project accomplished (in German)

 

To lower the pressures in continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) based on cerebral hemodynamic measurement with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)

Assistant Prof., MD Ramin Khatami, Center for Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research, Barmelweid

Read the project description (in German)

 

The role of microRNAs in inflammatory gene expression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Dr. med. Huber, Division of Pulmonology, Universitätsspital Zürich

Project accomplished

 

Supported projects 2013

 

NADPH oxidase and emphysema Antragssteller

Dr. Stephanie Carnesecchi, Depts of Pediatrics and Pathology, Geneva Faculty of Medicine

Project accomplished

 

Bio-printing platform for lung tissue engineering

Prof. Dr. Barbara Rothen-Rutishauser, Adolphe Merkle Institute, Université de Fribourg

Project accomplished

 

Role of bacterial communities in infants with cystic fibrosis

Dr. Markus Hilty, Institute for infectious Diseases, University of Bern

Project accomplished