DGP Research Award 2024: DZL Researcher Discovers Endogenous Molecule Impacting COPD Defense

The identification of a new molecule has the potential to open new avenues in the diagnosis and treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). DZL scientist Dr. Cheng-Yu Wu from Justus Liebig University Giessen identified the carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule 6 (CEACAM6), which regulates antioxidant defense at the protein level in the human body. The 33-year-old junior researcher examined biological samples— including sputum, lung tissue, and blood—from four different cohorts of COPD patients and compared them with healthy control samples. These investigations aim to identify endogenous mechanisms that beneficially affect the progression of COPD or counteract the development of emphysema. For the results of his basic scientific work, he was awarded the Pneumology Research Prize 2024 by the German Respiratory Society (DGP).

"Dr. Cheng-Yu Wu has focused his basic research on the body's defenses against COPD as a chronically progressive disease—and has made groundbreaking discoveries for us pneumologists and especially for our patients," said Professor Wolfram Windisch, DGP President and jury spokesperson at the award ceremony during the DGP Annual Congress in Mannheim. "Truly outstanding achievement!" The Pneumology Research Prize is endowed with €10,000.

Novel In Vitro Model for Cigarette Smoke-Resistant Cells

COPD is one of the most common causes of death worldwide, primarily caused by tobacco smoke or air pollution. "Initially, I wanted to understand why some people are more susceptible to COPD given the current state of research," explained award recipient Cheng-Yu Wu. Therefore, the young researcher from Giessen developed a novel in vitro model for cigarette smoke-resistant cells. Using this model, he compared resistant and non-resistant cells to determine the mechanism responsible for resistance to cigarette smoke. "These results were further validated and were comparable with clinical scenarios," Wu added.
Thus, Wu was able to identify for the first time the molecule CEACAM6, which plays a crucial role in the body's resistance to COPD.

Discovery of CEACAM6 Enables New Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches
Dr. Cheng-Yu Wu's research findings could enrich the clinical practice of pneumologists in the future in various ways: "Firstly, based on this, a biomarker could be developed as a diagnostic tool to identify individuals susceptible to developing COPD," considered the prize winner. "Secondly, targeted reduction of CEACAM6 activity could be used as a potential therapy to enhance the antioxidant defenses of patients." Since many other diseases are also triggered by oxidative stress, his findings could additionally be used for many new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

"We will have many future points of contact with CEACAM6 and should always remember today's moment and Dr. Cheng-Yu Wu," emphasizes Professor Antje Prasse, also a DZL researcher and chief physician for pneumology at the University Hospital Basel, jury member, and simultaneously chair of the DGP Congress program committee.

Two First-Place Research Projects in 2024

This year, the Pneumology Research Prize awarded two winning projects. In addition to the Giessen work of Dr. Cheng-Yu Wu, the research duo Janine Gote-Schniering and Niklas Lang from the Helmholtz Zentrum München were also honored with the prize. "When identifying two such high-quality projects among the submitted works, as a professional society, we can also express our joy over the outstanding young scientists with two first-place winning works," says DGP President Windisch.