Lung Experts From All Over the World Meet in Hannover

The 3rd International DZL Symposium took place in Hannover from May 8 – 10, 2014.  Close to 350 lung researchers came from all over the world to discuss the latest approaches to research and therapy of lung diseases.

Co-organized by BREATH (Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease), the Hannover-based network of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL) and the REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence (From Regenerative Biology to Reconstructive Therapy), the main focus of the symposium entitled ‘Lung Regeneration and Beyond: BREATH meets REBIRTH’ was on innovative techniques areas across different areas – transplantation, artificial organs, tissue engineering, regenerative therapies and stem cell research.   In addition, there were sessions covering each Disease Area studied by the DZL.  The conference was held at Herrenhausen Palace, the former summer residence of the Guelphs.  The symposium featured talks and discussion and poster sessions from domestic and international experts, including promising young scientists and experienced researchers, along with clinicians and specialists engaged in basic research.

The translation of scientific findings into clinical practice or industrial applications was a central theme of the symposium. “This event gave not only scientists, but also politicians, industry representatives and technology transfer officers the opportunity to share their own particular needs in order to get closer to our common goal – the translation of research into clinical treatments for the benefit of patients,” says Professor Axel Haverich, DZL PI and Director of Hannover Medical School’s (MHH) Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery (HTTG), coordinator of the REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence and member of the BREATH Executive Board. “The findings in regenerative medicine and forms of reconstructive therapy presented at the symposium are very encouraging, but there are still many unanswered questions requiring investigation,” added Professor Tobias Welte, Director of MHH’s Department of Pneumology, the BREATH network and DZL. 

The collected abstracts of all oral and poster presentations at the symposium are published in a volume entitled ‘3rd International DZL Symposium: Lung Regeneration and Beyond – BREATH meets REBIRTH’, ISBN 978-3-00-045880-4 and may be downloaded here.  The poster abstracts will also appear in the June issue of the medical journal Pneumologie.

(Photos:  Tom Figiel)