Rolf Ziesche was capable to start translational research in the field of chronic pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis. Substantially supported by both the Austrian Government and the EU Commission, these research studies successfully combined validated molecular and clinical analysis in finally twenty-six diseases characterized by chronic inflammation w/o progressive fibrosis.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), the focus of today’s conference talk, has been one of the major pathophysiologic conditions addressed by this approach. To better apprehend the complex pathophysiology of COPD, Dr. Ziesche and his team aimed to capture the dynamics of long-term gene expression in full health, early disease development, full-blown disease and end-stage disease by conducting a prospective longitudinal study on gene transcription in the peripheral airways, the focus of COPD pathology, covering an individual observational period of 36 months.