Document Actions

Cardiopulmonary System (Heart/Lungs)

The research focus area "Cardiopulmonary System" at JLU Giessen unites interdisciplinary research on heart and lung diseases with international visibility.

Two people looking at a screen displaying a medical image.

Head to the Cluster of Excellence CPI

Coordinators

Professor Susanne Herold, Professor Friedrich Grimminger, Professor Ardeschir Ghofrani, Professor Werner Seeger

Abstract of Focus Area

Despite advances in treatment, diseases of the cardiopulmonary system, including respiratory infections, remain the leading causes of death worldwide. Demographic developments, with an increasingly aging population, as well as changing risk factors such as climatic and exposomal environmental influences, emerging infectious agents, and growing antibiotic resistance, present further challenges. A deep understanding of the underlying complex changes at the molecular, cellular, and organ levels, as well as in inter-organ and pathogen–host communication, offers the opportunity to develop targeted diagnostic and therapeutic concepts. The translation of innovative strategies under the mission “Precision Biology Drives Precision Medicine” is therefore essential to sustainably reduce the morbidity and mortality of lung and heart diseases. This is the focus of an interdisciplinary research team that holds a leading global position in the field and can consistently demonstrate large-scale third-party funding in this area, including in close collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research (Bad Nauheim).

Involved Disciplines

Cardiology, angiology, pneumology, thoracic surgery, anatomy & physiology, clinical infectiology and tropical medicine, cell biology, pharmacology, general genetics and functional genome research, developmental biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics and theoretical biology, medical informatics and medical bioinformatics, medical microbiology and mycology, hygiene, molecular infection biology, virology, immunology

External Cooperation Partners

In Germany:

 International:

Structures and Programs for Supporting Early Career Researchers
  • Academy of the Excellence Cluster CPI (CPI Academy)
  • JLU CAREER (Clinician Scientist Program in Biomedical Research)
  • Doctoral program "Ph.D. in Cardiopulmonary Science" (joint doctoral program of the medical faculties of Goethe University and Justus Liebig University)
  • Graduate School Molecular Biology and Medicine of the Lung (MBML)
  • International Max Planck Research School for Molecular Organ Biology (IMPRS)
  • DZL DataLung School
  • PhD program of the faculties of Veterinary Medicine and Medicine at Justus Liebig University
  • Giessen Graduate Center for Life Sciences (GGL), sections “Infection and Immunity,” "Heart, Lung & Blood Vessels," "Clinical Sciences," "Bioresources, Bioinformatics, and Biotechnology"
  • GRK 2355 – Regulatory networks in the mRNA life cycle: from coding to noncoding RNAs
    Pre-graduate college Medicine
  • EU H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (e.g., "Trained Lung")
  • JLU TRAINEE (Pre-graduate program for students of Medicine and Dentistry)

Most significant scientific achievements since 2018

Structural elements:

  • Leadership of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL) by the UGMLC site

  • Management of the Giessen-Marburg-Langen site of the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF)

  • 2020: Institute for Lung Health (funded by the federal government and the state)

  • Since 2006: Funding of heart-lung research through the Excellence Initiative and Excellence Strategy of the federal and state governments

External funds / awards

  • 2025: Funding decision for the continuation application “Cardiopulmonary Institute (CPI)” within the framework of the Excellence Strategy (2025–2032; funding since 2006 EXC 147 / EXC 2026)

  • 2024: Successful evaluation and positive funding decision for the Collaborative Research Center 1213 “Pulmonary Hypertension and Cor Pulmonale”

  • 2022: LOEWE Excellence Professorship awarded to Prof. Susanne Herold, Internal Medicine with a focus on Clinical Infectiology and Experimental Pneumology

  • 2020: Successful acquisition of an EU consortium program (RARE-ILD) on rare interstitial lung diseases