To treat these diseases successfully in the future, new and innovative therapies must be developed that are personalized to the individual patient. This requires interdisciplinary collaboration between experts from different fields, as asthma and COPD are very complex diseases that are caused by a variety of molecular mechanisms and vary significantly in terms of their manifestation. 

This is precisely where RESPIRE-EXCEL comes in: The education and training program will educate a new generation of researchers in the field of cross-sector skills and multidisciplinary knowledge, enabling them to work effectively alongside industry, healthcare and academia. The aim is to decipher the molecular mechanisms of these diseases, identify new biomarkers and, on this basis, drive forward the development of precision medicine.

The network brings together partners from 12 countries in Europe, the USA and Australia and will intensively provide 15 doctoral students with the latest translational techniques over four years in multinational projects, summer schools and interactive workshops. This innovative approach is now being supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN) program. These doctoral networks are funded by the European Commission as part of the “Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions” (MSCA) and are incorporated into the European “Horizon 2020” program. The aim of these measures is to enhance the attractiveness of scientific careers and make Europe more interesting as a research location. The RESPIRE-EXCEL project has been funded for four years since September 2024 with a total volume of around 3.3 million euros.

The consortium has a number of academic, industrial and social partners from all over Europe, including the patient organization European Lung Foundation and the largest European scientific and clinical organization for respiratory medicine, the European Respiratory Society.  Prof. Markus Weckmann, Deputy Head of the Section of Pediatric Pneumology and Allergology, University of Lübeck and UKSH, Campus Lübeck and Head of the research group “Epigenetics of Chronic Lung Diseases” at the Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, accompanies the network as training coordinator. “This unique network is a multinational milestone in passing on the special requirements of translational lung research to the future generation. For me as training coordinator, it is a privilege to support these highly motivated young researchers on their journey,” explains Prof. Weckmann.

Further information about the project:

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101169403    

Contact:

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Markus Weckmann
Sektion Pädiatrische Pneumologie und Allergologie
Universität zu Lübeck und UKSH, Campus Lübeck
Tel.: 0451 500-50858
E-mail: markus.weckmann(at)uni-luebeck(dot)de