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Helmholtz Munich

Lung Health and Immunity

Environmental Health Center

Many environmentally triggered lung diseases are still considered incurable. We explore the immunological mechanisms underlying chronic lung diseases such as COPD, lung fibrosis, asthma, lung cancer and the complications following lung transplantation. We want to translate our findings into preventative and therapeutic approaches for patients.

Many environmentally triggered lung diseases are still considered incurable. We explore the immunological mechanisms underlying chronic lung diseases such as COPD, lung fibrosis, asthma, lung cancer and the complications following lung transplantation. We want to translate our findings into preventative and therapeutic approaches for patients.

Our Research Areas

Helmholtz Munich
Lead: Isis Fernandez

Immunometabolic Reprogramming

The investigation of structural-immune and immune-immune cell interaction, reprogramming and the pulmonary epimmunome facilitates a better understanding of the pathogenesis of chronic pulmonary diseases. It will lead us to immune-driven target identification and prioritization to broaden the therapeutic landscape in chronic lung diseases.

Helmholtz Munich
Lead: Herbert Schiller

Cell Circuits in Systems Medicine

We study patient and mouse tissues and organotypic ex vivo models at single cell resolution. This enables us to reconstruct regulatory cellular circuits and identify fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms of lung disease and regeneration, as well as associated clinically relevant biomarkers in an era of precision medicine.

Helmholtz Munich | LHI
Lead: Tobias Stöger

Environmental Barrier Immunity

We investigate the cellular pathways maintaining the functionality of the respiratory barrier and how tissue homeostasis gets affected by environmental challenges. Our focus has been on exposure scenarios of cigarette smoke and combustion, derived or engineered nanoparticles and their contribution to the development of chronic lung diseases.

Our Labs

Helmholtz Munich
Burgstaller Lab

Immunotherapeutic Technologies

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Helmholtz Munich
Fernandez Lab

Immune networks in chronic lung diseases

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Tobilander - stock.adobe.com
Hilgendorff Lab

Mechanism of Neonatal Chronic Lung Disease

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Anusorn - stock.adobe.com
Kapellos Lab

Immunoregulation in obstructive respiratory diseases

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Helmholtz Munich
Surasak - stock.adobe.com
LHI, Markus Rehberg
Rehberg Lab

Intravital microscopy of barrier immunity

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tonaquatic - stock.adobe.com
Schiller Lab

Cell Circuits in Lung Disease

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7activestudio - stock.adobe.com
Schmid Lab

Pulmonary Aerosol Delivery

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Helmholtz Munich
Staab-Weijnitz Lab

Collagen biosynthesis and maturation in lung fibrosis

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Helmholtz Munich | Doris Hammerschmidt
Stöger Lab

Dynamics of Pulmonary Inflammation

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Helmholtz Munich | Angelika Kramer Grafik Design
Conlon/Yildirim Lab

Immunopathology of COPD

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Helmholtz Munich | Doris Hammerschmidt
koldunova_anna - stock.adobe.com
©Michael Haggenmueller

Scientists at LHI

Dr. Isis E. Fernandez

Team Leader

Dr. Marion Frankenberger

Deputy Director (LHI/CPC-M bioArchive) View profile

PD Dr. med. Anne Hilgendorff

Group Leader/Leader CPC-M bioArchive View profile

Dr. Herbert Schiller

Team Leader

Dr. Otmar Schmid

Team Leader

Contact

LHI Office

Director

Prof. Dr. Ali Önder Yildirim

Director & Team Leader

Deputy Director

Dr. Marion Frankenberger

Deputy Director (LHI/CPC-M bioArchive)

Management

Franziska Hauptkorn

Head of Operations Management

Scientific Management

Dr. Roxana Wasnick

Scientific Management

Locations/How to reach us

Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI)

Helmholtz Zentrum München
Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH)

Ingolstädter Landstraße 1,
D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany

Telephone: +49 89 3187-3071
E-Mail: info-lhi@helmholtz-munich.de

by Public Transport

From Airport Munich:

  • S1 to station "Feldmoching", from there with taxi or U2 to station "Am Hart" and from there bus 294/295 (direction Garching-Hochbrück) to station "Helmholtz Zentrum München"
  • Or: S8 to main railway station (Hauptbahnhof), from there U2 to station "Am Hart", then bus 294/295 (direction Garching-Hochbrück) to station "Helmholtz Zentrum München"
  • Taxi via Highway Deggendorf-München, direction Stuttgart, exit Neuherberg, 30 min to the Helmholtz Zentrum München (approx. 40.- to 50.- EUR).

From Munich main station (Hauptbahnhof):

U2 to station "Am Hart", then bus 294 (Garching-Hochbrück, runs every 20 min - hourly between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.) or bus 295 to station "Neuherberg, Helmholtz-Zentrum"

By Car:

City Center - Neuherberg

Ludwigstrasse - Leopoldstrasse - Ingolstädter Strasse - continuation Ingolstädter Landstrasse, the Helmholtz Zentrum München on the right, approximately 800 m after city boundary, total distance from city centre about 12 km. Taxi from city centre to the Helmholtz Zentrum München about 30 min (fare approx. 20 EUR).

Highways

Nürnberg - München: Route A 99, direction Stuttgart, first exit Neuherberg, from here follow signs (400 m to the Helmholtz Zentrum München)

Stuttgart - München: Route A 99, direction Salzburg, exit Neuherberg, at traffic light turn right (300 m to the Helmholtz Zentrum München)

Salzburg - München: Route A 99, direction Stuttgart, exit Neuherberg, from here follow signs (400 m to the Helmholtz Zentrum München)

LHI/CPC (Comprehensive Pneumology Center)
Max-Lebsche-Platz 31
81377 München, Germany

By public transport:

From Munich City Center:

  • Subway U6 (U-Bahn-Linie 6) to Klinikum Großhadern (terminal stop), then walk across the parking lot to Max-Lebsche Platz 31.
  • Or busses 56 (station Max-Lebsche-Platz), 266, 269 (station Klinikum Großhadern) 

From Airport Munich:

  • S 8 (Herrsching) - change at Marienplatz for U6 (U-Bahn-Linie 6) to Klinikum Großhadern (terminal stop)

Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI)

Helmholtz Zentrum München
Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH)

Ingolstädter Landstraße 1,
D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany

Telephone: +49 89 3187-3071
E-Mail: info-lhi@helmholtz-munich.de

by Public Transport

From Airport Munich:

  • S1 to station "Feldmoching", from there with taxi or U2 to station "Am Hart" and from there bus 294/295 (direction Garching-Hochbrück) to station "Helmholtz Zentrum München"
  • Or: S8 to main railway station (Hauptbahnhof), from there U2 to station "Am Hart", then bus 294/295 (direction Garching-Hochbrück) to station "Helmholtz Zentrum München"
  • Taxi via Highway Deggendorf-München, direction Stuttgart, exit Neuherberg, 30 min to the Helmholtz Zentrum München (approx. 40.- to 50.- EUR).

From Munich main station (Hauptbahnhof):

U2 to station "Am Hart", then bus 294 (Garching-Hochbrück, runs every 20 min - hourly between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.) or bus 295 to station "Neuherberg, Helmholtz-Zentrum"

By Car:

City Center - Neuherberg

Ludwigstrasse - Leopoldstrasse - Ingolstädter Strasse - continuation Ingolstädter Landstrasse, the Helmholtz Zentrum München on the right, approximately 800 m after city boundary, total distance from city centre about 12 km. Taxi from city centre to the Helmholtz Zentrum München about 30 min (fare approx. 20 EUR).

Highways

Nürnberg - München: Route A 99, direction Stuttgart, first exit Neuherberg, from here follow signs (400 m to the Helmholtz Zentrum München)

Stuttgart - München: Route A 99, direction Salzburg, exit Neuherberg, at traffic light turn right (300 m to the Helmholtz Zentrum München)

Salzburg - München: Route A 99, direction Stuttgart, exit Neuherberg, from here follow signs (400 m to the Helmholtz Zentrum München)

LHI/CPC (Comprehensive Pneumology Center)
Max-Lebsche-Platz 31
81377 München, Germany

By public transport:

From Munich City Center:

  • Subway U6 (U-Bahn-Linie 6) to Klinikum Großhadern (terminal stop), then walk across the parking lot to Max-Lebsche Platz 31.
  • Or busses 56 (station Max-Lebsche-Platz), 266, 269 (station Klinikum Großhadern) 

From Airport Munich:

  • S 8 (Herrsching) - change at Marienplatz for U6 (U-Bahn-Linie 6) to Klinikum Großhadern (terminal stop)

Clinical Trials

Helmholtz Munich | Angelika Kramer Grafik Design
Ongoing trial

CatBOS

Cathepsin-B (CatB) as a new biomarker and therapeutic target for early bronchiolotis obliterans syndrome (BOS) after lung transplantation

View clinical trial
Helmholtz Munich | Angelika Kramer Grafik Design
Ongoing Trial (Objective 1, no patients)

LeT-COPD

The study will investigate the role of lymphotoxin-expressing T cells in the development of tissue damage in COPD pathogenesis. The goal is to develop a predictive model that identifies subtypes at risk for developing severe COPD at early stages. Please note: The first step in this study will be a retrospective one, there will be no patients included.