{"id":51565,"date":"2025-04-14T11:55:56","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T09:55:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dzl.de\/?p=51565"},"modified":"2025-04-14T14:45:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T12:45:09","slug":"dzl-researchers-recognized-with-2025-dgp-research-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dzl.de\/en\/news\/dzl-researchers-recognized-with-2025-dgp-research-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"DZL Researchers Recognized with 2025 DGP Research Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the 65th Congress of the German Respiratory Society (DGP) in Leipzig, the 2025 DGP Research Awards were presented on April 10, 2025. Both awards went to researchers from the German Center for Lung Research (DZL).<\/p>\n

DGP Research Award for Experimental Medicine to Dr. Lin Yang (CPC-M)<\/h3>\n

The DGP Research Award for Experimental Medicine, endowed with \u20ac10,000, was presented to DZL scientist Dr. Lin Yang, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI) and Precision Regenerative Medicine (PRM) at Helmholtz Munich (DZL site CPC-M). Dr. Yang was recognized for his foundational work in the development of LungVis 1.0, an advanced tech platform for preclinical analysis of pulmonary drug distribution<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith this impressive achievement, Dr. Lin Yang not only provides important new insights for effective drug management but also lays the groundwork for innovative representations of the entire lung system,\u201d emphasized DGP President Prof. Wolfram Windisch in his laudation.<\/p>\n

LungVis 1.0 combines artificial intelligence with advanced imaging techniques, providing, according to Yang, \u201cunprecedented insights into pulmonary drug delivery and cellular mechanisms in preclinical animal models.\u201d In a mouse model, Yang and his team used fluorescent particles to segment the airways and investigate the distribution of certain cell types across different lung regions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith \u2018LungVis,\u2019 we can determine how much drug dose reaches which regions of the lungs. This is crucial for ensuring that the therapy works correctly, depending on the disease, as the origin of the disease may lie in different lung regions,\u201d explained Yang.<\/p>\n

The platform will continue to be developed and made available as open-source to the research community. \u201cMy vision is to provide a complete \u2018LungVis\u2019 ecosystem in the near future, enabling us to comprehensively represent and analyze the entire lung ecosystem, including the airways, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels,\u201d Yang said.<\/p>\n

Prof. Antje Prasse from the DGP Board praised his achievement: \u201cDr. Lin Yang is a shining example of scientific excellence and proof that outstanding research is the key to the future of medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n

DGP Research Award for Clinical Medicine to Dr. Judith Brock (TLRC) and PD Dr. Mustafa Abdo (ARCN\/TLRC)<\/h3>\n

The DGP Research Award for Clinical Medicine, also endowed with \u20ac10,000, was awarded jointly this year to two DZL researchers: Dr. Judith Brock from the Thorax Clinic of Heidelberg University Hospital and Privatdozent Dr. Mustafa Abdo, who conducted the submitted studies at the LungClinic Grosshansdorf and has recently also been working at the Thorax Clinic in Heidelberg.<\/p>\n

Dr. Judith Brock: Better Prediction of Pneumothorax Risk After Valve Implantation<\/h4>\n

Brock investigated, in a retrospective study involving over 500 patients with severe COPD, how the risk of pneumothorax after endobronchial valve implantation can be better assessed. It was found that the risk depends, among other factors, on the location and size of the treated lung lobe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile some patients benefit from valve implantation despite developing pneumothorax, others are significantly impaired after lung collapse. Therefore, we wanted to understand: What are the differences in the severity of pneumothorax, and how do these affect clinical practice?\u201d Brock explained. The study was published in the journal Chest<\/em> in November 2024.<\/p>\n

PD Dr. Mustafa Abdo: Personalized Treatment Approaches for COPD<\/h4>\n

Dr. Abdo received the award for two studies that examined different clinical subgroups of COPD patients. In one study, his team analyzed two forms of heart impairment \u2013 HFpEF and a COPD-specific limitation in blood return to the heart \u2013 both of which are associated with an increased risk of mortality. \u201cWe found that targeted management of these different heart issues could improve the life expectancy of these COPD patients,\u201d Abdo summarized.<\/p>\n

In another study, Abdo, together with his DZL colleague Dr. Frauke Pedersen, investigated the inflammatory marker Interleukin-33 in the sputum of asthma and COPD patients<\/a>. Particularly noteworthy: Former smokers with COPD had significantly higher IL-33 concentrations than active smokers. \u201cFormer smokers could particularly benefit from a therapy targeting Interleukin-33,\u201d Abdo said.<\/p>\n

Both studies were published in renowned journals, including the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine<\/em> and the European Respiratory Journal<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Prof. Alexandra Preisser, on behalf of the jury, praised the significance of the work: \u201cThis year\u2019s awardees have made a significant contribution to pulmonary science and have impressively shown how scientific knowledge can be translated into clinical practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Dr. Lin Yang, Dr. Judith Brock, and PD Dr. Mustafa Abdo with DGP Vice President Prof. Dr. Christian Taube and DGP President Prof. Dr. Wolfram Windisch. Photos: DGP.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Further links to the DGP press releases:<\/strong><\/p>\n