Lung Science Training 2025 in Munich – Insights from the DZL DataLung School

From October 13 to 17, 2025, participants of the DZL DataLung School successfully completed the Lung Science Training module as part of the in-person event hosted by the Comprehensive Pneumology Center Munich (CPC-M). The training event was organized as a joint initiative between the Environmental and Health Research School Munich (EHLRS) and the DataLung School of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL).DataLung School doctoral researchers gathered in Munich for the Lung Science Training 2025, deepening their knowledge of lung biology, disease mechanisms, and data-driven research. The week combined lectures, interactive sessions, and networking across all DZL sites.

A total of around 60 participants attended the week-long course: 42 early career researchers from the DataLung School, 15 PhD students from the Environmental Health and Lung Research School, plus several guest participants. The group combined early-career researchers, clinicians and data scientists from diverse backgrounds.

Program overview — from fundamentals to data-driven lung research

Across five intensive days, the Lung Science Training provided a comprehensive introduction to translational lung research. Topics ranged from fundamentals of lung biology, anatomy and physiology, through cellular and immune mechanisms, to disease-focused sessions covering asthma, COPD, interstitial lung disease, infections, bronchiectasis and lung cancer. The program also included hands-on and interactive elements — for example sessions on patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) — and sessions on translational tools such as organotypic lung models, inhalation techniques, and imaging approaches.

A major emphasis was placed on data-driven methods and computational approaches: participants attended modules on single-cell transcriptomics, omics data integration, genome-wide association studies and polygenic scores, as well as bioinformatics workflows and data management — all designed to show how large-scale data can be integrated into lung research and translational projects.

Importantly, the sessions were delivered by numerous DZL researchers, including senior scientists from all five DZL sites, ensuring a broad, multidisciplinary perspective and fostering cross-site exchange. Social activities such as a guided city tour and an evening at the Augustiner-Keller rounded off the program and created informal spaces for networking and collaboration.

The Lung Science Training was coordinated by Dr. Doreen Franke and Dr. Melanie Penning together with the DataLung Steering Board. Their joint effort ensured a well-structured program that combined scientific depth with practical and interactive learning opportunities.

About the DZL DataLung School

The DZL DataLung School is a joint venture between the DZL Academy and the Artificial Intelligence and Digital Tools disease-spanning working group. It is set up as an umbrella organization around existing PhD schools across the DZL sites. The program is aimed at enhancing the integration of big data and advanced analytics in lung research. By leveraging computational models and multi-omics technologies, DataLung drives innovation in diagnostics, precision medicine and therapeutic strategies for lung disease.

The Lung Science Training 2025 was a great success, leaving participants inspired and better equipped to contribute to the future of data-driven respiratory research. We thank all organisers, speakers and participants for making the week possible.

A recap video with highlights from the week in Munich is now available on YouTube: