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Image: Two men in an examination room; one sits on an MRI couch, the other stands next to it; Copyright: Dr. Andreas Voskrebenzev/MHH

Dr. Andreas Voskrebenzev/MHH

PREFUL MRI as an alternative to conventional lung imaging

31.10.2024

The diagnosis and assessment of lung diseases often presents medical professionals with major challenges. Traditional methods such as computed tomography (CT) offer detailed structural images of the lungs, but involve radiation exposure for patients and provide no information on regional lung function.
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Image: Researcher using a pipette to implant cells in a device in a laboratory setting: Copyright: J. Adam Fenster / University of Rochester

J. Adam Fenster / University of Rochester

New tissue-on-chip technology to study viral neuroinflammation

25.10.2024

A project, funded by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) with an initial $2.4 million grant, aims to model the lung-brain connection and develop new therapeutic drugs to prevent and treat neurological symptoms, such as brain fog, associated with viral infections.
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Image: Five people standing next to each other and smiling into the camera; Copyright: DGKL

DGKL

AI improves leukemia diagnostics: award for Dresden researchers

10.10.2024

Dr. Jan Middeke and Dr. Jan-Niklas Eckardt from Dresden University Hospital have received an award from the German Society for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (DGKL) for their work on improving leukaemia diagnostics using artificial intelligence (AI). The award, worth 15,000 euros, recognizes their research into AI-assisted detection of leukaemia in the bone marrow.
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Image: Comparison of two tissue sections of a lung, on the left a traditional histological section in pink, on the right a digitized and color-coded tissue section; Copyright: Dr. Yuri Tolkach

Dr. Yuri Tolkach

AI-supported platform improves lung cancer diagnostics

16.09.2024

A new AI-based digital platform, developed by a research team at the University Hospital of Cologne, enables rapid and precise analysis of lung cancer tissue sections. The platform, which is based on advanced algorithms, could significantly improve the quality of diagnostics and provide new insights into the treatment of lung cancer.
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Image: A close-up of a tube for a tuberculosis test in the laboratory

New biomarker predicts side effects of tuberculosis therapy

29.08.2024

Researchers at the Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, have discovered a biomarker that can predict the risk of nerve disease during tuberculosis therapy.
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Image: A medical sensor is attached to a clear T-connector of a ventilator; Copyright: Fraunhofer IPM

Fraunhofer IPM

Fluorescence sensor for measuring oxygen in breathing air

16.05.2024

The new sensor from Fraunhofer IPM measures the oxygen content in the air we breathe precisely and quickly, which significantly improves patient monitoring.
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Lung check via app

26.03.2024

Imagine that your smartphone, your constant companion in everyday life, could now give you valuable insights into your health – and all you have to do is breathe. The start-up VoiceMed makes it possible.
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Image: Private lecturer Dr. Jonas Schupp sits next to a microscope and smiles for the camera; Copyright: privat

privat

Chronic lung diseases: funding for precision medicine

20.12.2023

Associate Professor Dr Jonas Schupp receives funding for his research into chronic lung diseases.
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Image: inexpensive do-it-yourself (DIY) “Corsi-Rosenthal Box” air purifier; Copyright: UConn photo

UConn photo

EPA testing shows the power of D-I-Y air filters to trap viruses

07.11.2023

There is a low-cost way for you to protect yourself and reduce your risk of respiratory diseases such as flu, RSV, and COVID-19. Build yourself a Corsi-Rosenthal box (CR box) in 30 minutes with just $60 worth of common hardware store supplies.
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Image: 3D illustration of red and elongated Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Copyright: iLexx

iLexx

Why tuberculosis bacteria form long chains

25.10.2023

A researcher team from Ecole Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne led by Dr. Vivek Thacker now group leader at the Department of Infectious Diseases at Heidelberg University Hospital have studied why tuberculosis bacteria form long strands and how this affects their infectivity.
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Image: Woman extends her arms above her head for a breathing exercise; Copyright: DragonImages

DragonImages

Breathment: AI-based breathing exercises for health

23.10.2023

For people with respiratory diseases, breathing can be a challenge. Breathment, a start-up from Munich, wants to change that. With their app, they want to help COPD patients with rehabilitation and disease management.
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Image: Professor Dr. Anna-Maria Dittrich and Dr. Matthias Gietzelt (with tablet) stands in a building passage and smiles for the camera; Copyright: Karin Kaiser / MHH

Karin Kaiser / MHH

CALM-QE: Personalized diagnostics in asthma and COPD

27.09.2023

The MHH Children's Hospital is participating in a nationwide project to better predict individual disease courses in non-infectious lung diseases using standardised data from health care and environmental data.
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Image: A close-up of a hand holding a premature baby in the incubator; Copyright: wirestock

wirestock

Premature infants: early detection of vascular disease

14.09.2023

Dr. Anne Hilgendorff’s team from Helmholtz Munich and the LMU University Hospital developed a non-invasive method with no need for sedation using MR imaging to detect early signs of vascular disease associated with chronic pulmonary impairment in premature infants, offering new avenues for risk stratification and potential prevention of complications later in life.
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Image: X-ray image of a lung; Copyright: Shaiith

Shaiith

AI shows how Aspergillus fumigatus gets comfortable in the lungs

14.08.2023

Aspergillus fumigatus strains that infect humans have a significantly altered metabolism compared to other strains in the environment. At the same time, infection with the fungus leads to an apparent change in the human lung microbiome.
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Image: Robinder Khemani, MD, MsCl, Children's Hospital Los Angeles in a dark blue shirt; Copyright: Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Using machine learning to make ventilator support safer for children

09.08.2023

Robinder Khemani, MD, MsCI, Attending Physician in Pediatric Intensive Care at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, is using machine learning to improve the outcomes of children put on ventilators.
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Image: Two men and three women pose in white coats in a laboratory; Copyright: Universidad de Barcelona

Universidad de Barcelona

New biomarkers of non-small cell lung cancer discovered

27.06.2023

Researchers of the University of Barcelona and the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) have identified new biomarkers for non-small cell lung cancer, the most common lung cancer.
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Image: Micrograph of bacterial biofilms; Copyright: Buntan2019

Buntan2019

Biofilms: Infection model from the 3D printer

21.06.2023

Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) have developed a novel method to place biofilms on lung cells in the laboratory. The model system produced by means of "bioprinting" should help to better understand infection processes and assist in the development of new active substances.
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 Image: Infant lying in a mobile MRI unit with a doctor holding a tablet and a woman sitting next to him; Copyright: University Hospital Bonn (UKB)/A. Winkler

University Hospital Bonn (UKB)/A. Winkler

Mobile MRI: Gates Foundation funds world's first examinations in children under ECMO

20.06.2023

The University Hospital of Bonn (UKB) is the first hospital in the world to examine and monitor children receiving ECMO therapy with a mobile magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. This was possible thanks to a funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Image: A puzzle-like model of a lung made of building blocks on a red background; Copyright: yavdat

yavdat

AI enables first integrated single-cell atlas of the lung

15.06.2023

Can a human organ be mapped on a single-cell level to learn more about each individual cell? And can we learn how different these cells are from person to person? Helmholtz Munich researchers and their collaborators have taken up this challenge and developed the Human Lung Cell Atlas using artificial intelligence (AI)-based techniques.
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Image: Red 3D illustration of a human lungs on a black background; Copyright: Pixabay

Pixabay

Lung: bacterial colonisation also depends on genes of the host

13.06.2023

We know from previous studies that changes in the lung microbiome are associated with diseases such as cystic fibrosis, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Environmental factors such as smoking, nutrition in infancy or the use of antibiotics are important factors for the composition and stability of the microbial community in the lung.
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Image: Baby mannequin connected to a ventilator in an incubator; Copyright: Messe Düsseldorf

Messe Düsseldorf

With stem cell model on the trail of congenital diaphragmatic hernia

09.05.2023

Researchers have designed a new stem cell model to study congenital diaphragmatic hernia in newborns with underdeveloped lungs. They were able to isolate stem cells from the fluid that is suctioned from the baby’s lungs and normally gets discarded and use them as a foundation for the model.
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Image: Schematic illustration: The proposed robotic bronchoscope system for navigation-assisted intervention; Copyright: Cyborg and Bionic Systems

Cyborg and Bionic Systems

Novel robotic bronchoscope system for navigation and biopsy of pulmonary lesions

19.04.2023

A novel robotic bronchoscope system can non-intrusively access the area of interest within the lung for minimally invasive pulmonary lesions sampling, the gold standard of lung cancer diagnoses.
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Image: An incubator crib in a paediatric intensive care unit in a university hospital; Copyright: DC_Studio

Mint_Images

Bedside portable MRI: use in pediatric ECMO patients

13.04.2023

The neonatology team at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) has conducted the world's first study of children receiving ECMO therapy using the mobile magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The procedure, known as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), involves oxygenating the blood outside the body.
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Image: A man in a blue sweater, with short grey hair and glasses is looking into the tube of a tomograph, in which a phantom is positioned – Prof. Franz Pfeiffer; Copyright: Astrid Eckert / TUM

Astrid Eckert / TUM

COVID-19 and beyond: a deeper look into the lungs with dark-field X-rays

28.03.2023

Imaging reaches its limits when it comes to looking at the lungs: Alveoli are tiny, balloon-shaped air sacs in our lungs. These tissue structures are micrometers in diameter and currently cannot be visualized directly. Meanwhile, they exhibit early changes prompted by lung diseases such as COVID-19. Dark-field X-ray images could visualize these signs in the future.
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Image: A baby with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia is ventilated in an incubator; Copyright: Colourbox

Colourbox

Stem cell model: research into malformation of the newborn lung

15.03.2023

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia is one of the deadliest birth defects. To better understand and treat this condition in the future, an international team of researchers involving Leipzig University Hospital designed a new cell model in the laboratory and tested a drug therapy on it.
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Image: Image compares simulated results from imaging the human chest with ordinary radiography (left) and with phase-contrast radiography; Copyright: Häggmark et al., 2023

Häggmark et al., 2023

Early-stage lung disease could be detected with advanced imaging tech

24.02.2023

An imaging process that today is used mainly in research labs could potentially detect early-stage lung disease if developed for use in hospitals and clinics, a new research study shows.
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Image: Fluorescence staining of Arlo cells. The image shows the overlay of a staining of cell nuclei (gray) and the tight junction protein 1 (blue); Copyright: HIPS/Boese

HIPS/Boese

New cell model for the human lung

16.02.2023

A team led by Prof Claus-Michael Lehr of the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) has developed a novel human lung cell line that should enable much more accurate predictions of the behavior of active substances or dosage forms in humans than previous systems.
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Image: Top view of FFP2 class clean face mask on blue background; Copyright: Photology75

Photology75

Radon: Face masks reduce radiation exposure

21.12.2022

Researchers from the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung now have proven in a paper published in the “International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health” that face masks - both FFP2 and surgical masks - strongly reduce lung exposure and thus the dose.
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Image: Man with mask is doing sports; Copyright: PantherMedia / Marushy99

PantherMedia / Marushy99

FFP2, N95, and KN95 masks: Does wearing them affect endurance and athletic performance?

08.04.2022

Does wearing a mask diminish athletic performance? Do we fatigue faster while wearing a face mask during exercise? Our subjective perception might suggest that a mask or face covering restricts us. A study by the University of Wuppertal explored the physiological effects of wearing KN95 or FFP2 (European Union standard) face masks.
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Image: A woman is sleeping in her bed, next to her a smartphone; Copyright: PantherMedia/kleberpicui

PantherMedia/kleberpicui

Respiratory diseases: "AI helps patients track symptom severity"

01.04.2022

When they are presented with respiratory disease, physicians listen to the lungs and airways to assess the sound of the patient’s breath and cough. Artificial intelligence now helps patients with respiratory diseases even outside of the doctor’s office: "ResGuard Med" monitors coughing during the night, detects the worsening of symptoms and issues an alert.
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Image: Image showing part of an ECMO machine – a square part through which blood is channeled; Copyright: PantherMedia/Richmanphoto

PantherMedia/Richmanphoto

COPD: How long before the implantable lung is here?

03.01.2022

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is often a last resort treatment for patients with acute respiratory failure. The method uses an external pump to circulate blood through an artificial lung back into the bloodstream. However, the use of ECMO for long-term support is not possible for patients with chronic respiratory failure.
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Image: Man with a bare upper-body is showing an implanted cardiac support system; Copyright: PantherMedia/NikD51

PantherMedia/NikD51

Donor organs: Solving the shortage with technology

03.01.2022

Patients waiting for a donor organ must have a lot of patience and a bit of luck. Aging and a rise in chronic disease prevalence means the need for donor organs is much greater than the number that is available. To help those who need organ transplants, scientists must create new technologies.
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Image: Professor Dr. Danny Jonigk and Christopher Werlein; Copyright: Karin Kaiser / MHH

Karin Kaiser / MHH

New X-ray technique shows vascular damage in intact COVID-19 lungs for first time

05.11.2021

When the coronavirus enters the lung, it causes massive tissue damage. Now, an international research team has been able to demonstrate for the first time, using a highly innovative X-ray technique in a non-destructive manner, that severe COVID-19 causes massive remodelling of the finest blood vessels by causing normally separate blood systems to join together with unusual frequency.
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Image: artificial ventilation at a hospital room; Copyright: PantherMedia / ParStud

PantherMedia / ParStud

Making biohybrid lungs implantable

25.05.2021

Diseases can affect the lungs in different ways that can be challenging. If the lungs are badly damaged and artificial ventilation (also called artificial respiration) is no longer effective, an ECMO machine comes into play. Right now, artificial lungs reside outside the body and cannot be implanted.
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Image: A nurse is donning a red cloth mask; Copyright: PantherMedia/Jakub Mrocek

PantherMedia/Jakub Mrocek

Reviewing the evidence for cloth mask use among health care workers

13.01.2021

A rapid, evidence-based review summarizes the effectiveness of cloth masks in protecting health care clinicians from respiratory viral infections, such as COVID-19. Nine studies were included in the review, and all but one were conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Image: woman holding an asthma inhaler in one hand and a smartphone in the other; Copyright: PantherMedia/microgen

Asthma: Self-management thanks to apps and wearables

11.01.2021

Today, managing one's own chronic disease is hardly possible without digital helpers – not least because of the corona pandemic. People with asthma also benefit from apps and wearables. They help patients connect better with doctors and better understand their own disease. Our Topic of the Month looks at why this is so important and what the digital services can do.
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Image: young man in profile looking at his smartphone laughing; Copyright: PantherMedia/yacobchuk1

mHealth for asthma: Help me manage it myself!

11.01.2021

According to the WHO, around 600 million people worldwide suffer from chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma. Key in the fight against these diseases is therapy adherence, but many sufferers often find this difficult. The result is increased hospitalization, which ultimately comes at the expense of the healthcare system. Smart and mobile technologies could change that.
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Image: A woman sits on a couch and blows into a measuring device; Copyright: Bosch

Vivatmo me: monitor your asthma treatment at home

01.01.2021

Allergic asthma is a chronic disease that makes regular monitoring essential to keep it under control. This is the only way to determine whether the prescribed medication is effective or whether the patient needs a treatment adjustment. Vivatmo me is a breath analyzer device for home use and helps keep asthma patients safe and confident between visits to the doctor.
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Image: lung sound recording device; Copyright: TU Graz

TU Graz

COVID-19: Screening system for lung sound analysis

08.12.2020

Our bodies constantly make sounds that are not always audible to the naked ear. The occurrence of certain noises or changes in normal sounds can be an indication of illness. Using the example of the lung, a research team at Graz University of Technology has been intensively engaged in noise recording and the development of computer-aided analysis methods as a supplement to medical diagnosis.
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In the intensive care unit: Together against COVID-19

27.04.2020

The coronavirus is pushing healthcare systems worldwide to their limits. The number of infections continues to rise – and with it the number of people who need intensive medical treatment and artificial respiration. However, the number of ventilators is limited. Solutions to support intensive care units are needed – quickly. We have taken a closer look at some of them.
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Disinfection methods of hospital drinking water - Fully automatic legionella prevention

31.03.2020

Besides hand hygiene, drinking water hygiene is also on the to-do list of every hospital. A lot of money is invested to clean water pipes and to destroy legionella germs. An alternative solution for mechanical and thermal control is water disinfection using an automatic machine.
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Image: Digital twin of the lungs; Copyright: Ebenbuild/Jakob Richter

Ebenbuild/Jakob Richter

ARDS: Testing Consequences without Consequence

14.11.2019

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening illness in which the lungs are severely damaged. The condition always requires intensive medical care through mechanical ventilation. But not all lungs are the same. To ensure a personalized treatment that is adapted to the individual patient’s lung volume and condition, Ebenbuild relies on digital twins.
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Image: DLIR image of the aorta; Copyright: GE Healthcare

Deep Learning Image Reconstruction – what AI looks like in clinical routine

02.09.2019

Artificial intelligence is no longer a dream of the future in medicine. Many studies and initial application examples show that it sometimes achieves better results than human physicians. At Jena University Hospital, the work with AI is already lived practice. It is the first institution in the world to use algorithms in radiological routine to reconstruct CT images.
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Image: A greenly lit laboratory device; Copyright: Sven Döring

Photonics: "We want a rapid and easy method to identify pathogens and antibiotic resistance"

01.08.2019

The medical devices value chain has gaps between academic research and industrial practice that slow down innovation processes. This also applies to time-sensitive and urgently needed products such as rapid diagnostic tests to identify resistant pathogens. At the InfectoGnostics Research Campus in Jena, partners from research and medicine team up to close these gaps.
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RAS-Q - Mobile blood gas exchange for COPD patients

23.04.2019

According to WHO, about 251 million people worldwide had Chronic Obstructive Pumonary Disease in 2016. COPD denotes not a single, but several diseases that are caused by smoking and air pollution, among others. Patients at a later disease stage often need ventilation and are thus bound to the location of their devices.
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Image: Lung monitoring of a patient with PulmoVista 500 by Draeger; Copyright: Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA

Restoring Pulmonary Function

01.03.2019

People suffering from lung disease temporarily need ventilator support because they are unable to breathe naturally. Mechanical ventilation is designed to ensure the survival of these patients. The goal is to adapt the ventilator settings and tailor them the patient's specific needs and prevent lung tissue damage.
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Picture: Woman sleeping sideways in bed with a breathing mask; Copyright: Philips GmbH

Comprehensive Treatment: It’s All About Breathing

01.03.2019

Coughing, airway obstruction, difficulty breathing: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term used to describe progressive and currently incurable lung diseases. The innovative solutions of Philips Respironics help patients to manage each stage of the disease and their medication intake, train the respiratory system and provide respiratory support.
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Image: Dosage inhaler and stethoscope in front of a shelf; Copyright: panthermedia.net/liudmilachernetska@gmail.com

React early, breathe free – comprehensive COPD management

01.03.2019

COPD is considered the third most common cause of death worldwide and mainly affects smokers. It is not curable, but with the right combination of early diagnosis, therapy and self-management, a significant part of the quality of life can be regained. The comprehensive care is supported by various devices and technical tools. Learn more about the all-round care of COPD in our Topic of the Month.
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Image: senior coughing man with cigarette; Copyright: panthermedia.net/ljsphotography

All-round care for COPD: diagnosis, treatment, self-management

01.03.2019

COPD affects more than 200 million people in the world. Those affected by this chronic pulmonary disease are often slow to notice the symptoms and get a medical diagnosis. This results in secondary complications and high medical costs. That's why an early diagnosis, comprehensive treatment, and frequent monitoring are very important. Various devices and tools support this all-round care.
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Image: Preemie doll with drug delivery system on the nose; Copyright: Fraunhofer ITEM/Till Holland

Fraunhofer ITEM/Till Holland

Gentle medication for the little ones – with every breath

22.02.2019

According to the WHO, ten percent of babies worldwide are born prematurely. Since most organs of these tiny babies have not fully developed yet, it can quickly lead to complications and disorders and most notably affect the lungs of the premature infants. What's more, infections require gentle treatment, as the preemies themselves are fragile and susceptible – making this a challenging situation.
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