Lung Transplantation: Therapeutic Immunology
Gerckens/Mümmler Lab
Lung transplantation is a life-saving treatment option for patients with the most severe lung diseases. The aim of our working group - led jointly by the doctors Dr. Michael Gerckens and Dr. Carlo Mümmler - is to improve outcomes after lung transplantation. The two group leaders bring their extensive experience in clinical and scientific research to this initiative and pursue an innovative management concept that integrates clinical and scientific tasks. The group works in close cooperation with the Hospital of the University of Munich (KUM).
This integration of clinical practice and scientific research across this research focus facilitates a better understanding of lung transplant function and the development of new therapeutic approaches in order to - hopefully - significantly improve the quality of life and survival of patients after lung transplants.
Lung transplantation is a life-saving treatment option for patients with the most severe lung diseases. The aim of our working group - led jointly by the doctors Dr. Michael Gerckens and Dr. Carlo Mümmler - is to improve outcomes after lung transplantation. The two group leaders bring their extensive experience in clinical and scientific research to this initiative and pursue an innovative management concept that integrates clinical and scientific tasks. The group works in close cooperation with the Hospital of the University of Munich (KUM).
This integration of clinical practice and scientific research across this research focus facilitates a better understanding of lung transplant function and the development of new therapeutic approaches in order to - hopefully - significantly improve the quality of life and survival of patients after lung transplants.
Chronic lung allograft dysfunction
Long-term survival rates and long-term prognosis after lung transplantation remain unsatisfactory compared to other organ transplants. This is due to a variety of complications that can arise from surgical complications, complications that are due to immunosuppression like infections, malignancies or chronic kidney failure as well as immunological complications like acute or chronic forms of lung allograft failure.
A central concern of our research efforts is to characterize chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD), a serious complication characterized by a progressive loss of lung function after an initial stable plateau. We aim for a deeper understanding of CLAD pathophysiology and currently available treatment in order to develop new therapeutic options. In addition, the group is investigating other types of lung allograft dysfunction, such as primary graft dysfunction (PGD) or baseline lung allograft dysfunction (BLAD) and interactions with humoral and acute lung transplant rejections.
Baseline Lung Allograft Dysfunction
We investigate the mechanisms, risk factors, and clinical impact of Baseline Lung Allograft Dysfunction (BLAD), a recently recognized early post-transplant phenotype associated with impaired survival. By combining large-scale clinical cohorts, detailed lung function trajectory analysis, and mechanistic insights from translational research, we have characterized BLAD in both double and single lung transplantation and identified key determinants such as donor–recipient size mismatch, pleural abnormalities, and perioperative factors (Gerckens & Mümmler et al., Transplantation 2024; Gerckens et al., ERJ Open Res 2025; Gerckens et al., Clinical Transplantation 2025).
Pleural Effusions after Lung Transplantation
Another important area of research is the study of pleural effusions, which occur as a complication of lung disease and other systemic conditions. Pleural effusions are accumulations of fluid between the pleural sheets that may result from dysfunction of the pulmonary or cardiovascular systems or from other causes such as malignancies or immunological events. In lung transplant recipients, we observe a previously unknown form of lymphocyte-rich pleural effusions, which influence survival and morbidity after transplantation and whose cause is being investigated by our group. Our recent work (Gerckens et al., Clinical Transplantation 2025) demonstrates that early pleural effusions are linked to an increased risk of BLAD, while late pleural effusions are strongly associated with mortality, independent of chronic lung allograft dysfunction. Building on these findings, we have initiated a prospective pleural effusion biobanking program and are integrating advanced imaging, proteomics, and experimental in-vitro culture systems to identify the biological pathways linking lung transplantation, pleural responses, and long-term allograft health—ultimately aiming to develop targeted interventions to improve patient outcomes.
Technological innovations: Automated analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage
A central concern of the working group is the automated analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), an important diagnostic tool in lung diseases and transplantation processes. Bronchoalveolar lavage can be obtained through bronchoscopy with lung lavage and provides valuable information about the immunological conditions in the lungs. The working group is researching how machine learning and artificial intelligence can be used to improve and simplify these analyses. The aim is to develop a clinically usable tool that makes the analysis of lung fluid more efficient and precise.
MD Student
MD candidate
MD Student
Group Leader / Clinician Scientist
MD Student
Group Leader / Clinician Scientist
Statistician / Research assistant
Clinician Scientist
MSc. candidate
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