Multidisciplinary study on prevention of (progression of) lung disease
This project brings together researchers, healthcare professionals, and industry partners in P4O2 (Precision Medicine for more Oxygen www.p4o2.org) in a public private partnership to improve the early detection and treatment of serious lung diseases. By combining medical data with information about environmental and omics, the project aims to develop more personalized care for people at risk of chronic lung disease or with existing lung conditions.
Chronic obstructive lung disease and interstitial lung disease affect millions of people worldwide and place a heavy burden on patients, healthcare systems, and society. In the Netherlands alone, hundreds of thousands of people live with chronic lung disease, and these conditions are among the leading causes of death. Current treatments cannot cure these diseases and are often started too late, when lung damage is already severe. As populations age and exposure to harmful factors such as air pollution and smoking continues, the number of patients is expected to rise. Innovation is urgently needed to detect disease earlier, slow progression, and improve quality of life.
The project takes an innovative approach by studying biological markers of persons included in cohorts at different stages of their disease, and by comparing the markers to those of persons from the general population and persons at risk of developing lung disease. The project also studies the exposome (all non-genetic influences such as environment, lifestyle, and work). By combining biological markers with exposome data, researchers aim to better understand why some people develop severe disease while others do not, and how to best intervene.
The project will deliver new biomarkers for early detection and phenotypes of progression of disease and contributes to a non-invasive method to study lung disease. These results support the development of more targeted prevention and treatment approaches in the future.
