DZL Academy Scientist receives Award for Cystic Fibrosis Microbiome Research

Dr. Andrew Tony-Odigie, a researcher at the DZL Academy based at TLRC, and his co-authors from Heidelberg University Hospital have been awarded the Adolf Windorfer Prize 2025 by the German Cystic Fibrosis Association (Mukoviszidose e.V.) for their research on the lung microbiome in cystic fibrosis (CF).

The role and interaction of bacteria in the lungs of people with CF is a key factor in the progression of the disease and its treatment outcomes—especially during chronic infections. Dr. Tony-Odigie and his team discovered that commensal (beneficial) bacteria, isolated from patient lungs, can inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria through their metabolic products.

"For the first time, we were able to show that beneficial bacteria from the sputum of cystic fibrosis patients can suppress the growth of pathogenic bacteria by producing short-chain fatty acids such as acetate," Dr. Tony-Odigie explains.

Research on cystic fibrosis has advanced significantly in recent years. Thanks to new CFTR modulator therapies, the prognosis for patients has improved substantially.

"In our research group, we investigate the interactions between beneficial and harmful bacteria in the lung, and how these relationships affect infections and inflammatory processes—particularly in the context of cystic fibrosis," says Tony-Odigie.

"Just 50 years ago, CF was almost exclusively considered a childhood disease. Thanks to progress in both research and medication, life expectancy now exceeds 50 years."

Receiving the Adolf Windorfer Prize is a special motivation for the early-career researcher: "This award is presented annually by Mukoviszidose e.V. for outstanding research and therapeutic work in the field of cystic fibrosis. It is a rare privilege to be among this year’s recipients—it motivates and encourages me greatly."

Source: TLRC Heidelberg
More information: muko.info – Research honored with Adolf Windorfer Award