Dr. Christina Malainou, a researcher at the German Center for Lung Research (DZL) and scientific coordinator in the Disease Area Pneumonia & Acute Lung Injury, has been awarded the Research Prize for Experimental Pneumology 2026 at the congress of the German Respiratory Society (DGP). The prize is endowed with €10,000.
“This work makes an important contribution to understanding severe pneumonia and its complications,” said DGP President Prof. Christian Taube. “The results highlight the complexity of immune responses in the lung and open up entirely new avenues for future therapies. An extraordinary achievement that offers hope for the treatment of our most critically ill patients.” The award recognizes her research on the immunological mechanisms that can lead to dangerous bacterial secondary infections following severe viral lung infections (DZL news from January 6, 2026).
Following severe influenza virus infections, some patients develop life-threatening bacterial pneumonia. The underlying causes have so far only been partially understood. Christina Malainou’s research focuses on alveolar macrophages—specialized immune cells located in the lung alveoli that act as the first line of defense against pathogens. They detect and eliminate viruses, bacteria, and harmful particles before significant damage occurs. However, after a severe viral infection, this protective function can temporarily fail, with potentially serious consequences.
In experimental studies, the research team was able to show that these protective macrophages are not directly destroyed by the virus. Instead, they die as a result of a signal originating from inflamed lung tissue. This signal is released by neutrophils—immune cells that rapidly migrate to sites of infection. In doing so, they secrete a molecule that binds to receptors on macrophages and can trigger their programmed cell death. “We were able to demonstrate that this specific signaling pathway plays a key role in the loss of protective macrophages after severe viral infection,” explains Christina Malainou. “This creates a window of vulnerability during which the lung becomes more susceptible to a second infection.”
In further experiments, the researchers selectively blocked this signaling pathway. The result: macrophages survived longer, bacterial pathogens were better controlled, and survival rates in the model improved significantly. These findings show that the identified mechanism plays a central role in the development of severe secondary infections and opens up new avenues for future therapeutic approaches.
The study was conducted in close collaboration with national and international partners, including the University Hospital Giessen, the Institute for Lung Health (ILH), the Cardiopulmonary Institute (CPI), as well as other research institutions in Germany, Argentina, and Spain. “The award is above all a recognition of the work of our entire team,” says Christina Malainou. “Without this international collaboration, such complex studies would hardly be possible.” The award-winning research highlights the importance of basic pneumological research within DZL and demonstrates how new insights from immunology can directly contribute to improved strategies for treating severe lung diseases.
In the long term, these findings may help to develop new therapeutic approaches to better protect patients from severe pneumonia. At the same time, prevention remains essential: “An effective protective measure we already have is vaccination against influenza,” emphasizes the award recipient.
Source: DGP
