Lung Precision Medicine (LPM) DBMR Bern

The Lung Precision Medicine (LPM) research program is an interdisciplinary initiative that brings together clinicians, biologists, physicists, and engineers from the University of Bern and the University Hospital of Bern. Our mission is to address unmet clinical needs, focusing on acute and chronic lung diseases, lung regeneration, and connective tissue disorders. We strive to improve existing methods and develop innovative approaches to studying the respiratory system in the laboratory. Our techniques include lung-on-chip models, 3D cell cultures, organoids, and precision-cut lung slices, utilizing patient-derived cells, including induced pluripotent stem cells, to accurately replicate lung conditions and create personalized disease models. Our research seeks to understand the underlying causes of various lung diseases, such as asthma, lung fibrosis, COPD/emphysema, primary ciliary dyskinesia, cystic fibrosis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, lung cancer, autoimmune lung diseases, and allergies. We explore the organ systems, key cellular mechanisms, and external factors like viruses and air pollutants that contribute to these conditions. Employing a multi-omics approach with human biosamples, we integrate imaging technologies and disease modeling in both animal and in vitro settings. Our ultimate goal is to develop new personalized treatments, including potential direct applications to the lungs. As people age, they are more prone to chronic lung diseases like fibrosis and emphysema due to changes in metabolism, mitochondrial function, DNA damage, inflammation, and other factors that impact cellular and tissue function. We investigate these changes across different patient populations to create tailored treatment strategies. Our laboratory findings are validated using patient samples and clinical studies to ensure their clinical relevance and effectiveness. Our overarching aim is to promote lung health, facilitate healing, and make breathing easier for patients.