Reinoud Gosens receives Longfonds grant for asthma research

Reinoud Gosens of the University of Groningen has received a EUR 234,000 grant from Longfonds for a collaborative research project into the cellular mechanisms underlying asthma.

The project, titled Spatial Profiling of Gene Expression and Cell–Cell Interaction in the Asthmatic Lung (SPECIAL), investigates how interactions between cells in the lung contribute to the development and persistence of type 2 inflammation in asthma.

Investigating the asthmatic lung

Gosens and his collaborators hypothesise that the local tissue environment in the lung plays an important role in asthma. Signals from this environment may influence the behaviour and genetic activity of individual cells, including interactions between lymphocytes, neurons and epithelial cells.

Using advanced spatial proteogenomics techniques, the researchers will study lung tissue samples from different groups of asthma patients. These samples will represent important aspects of severe asthma, including exacerbations, declining lung function and differences in patients’ responses to corticosteroids and cytokine-targeting biological medicines.

The consortium will also use advanced laboratory models to recreate aspects of human lung biology. These models will help the researchers test the role of specific cell–cell interactions and assess whether they could provide new targets for future treatments.

Gosens is Professor of Translational Pharmacology at the Faculty of Science and Engineering. His research focuses on the mechanisms that regulate tissue repair and remodelling in asthma and COPD, including the role and therapeutic potential of neuronal signalling and other novel drug targets.

Collaborative research

The project brings together researchers from several institutions and countries. Gosens will collaborate with Rudi Hendriks and Ralph Stadhouders of Erasmus MC, Thais Mauad of the University of São Paulo in Brazil, and Hitasha Rupani of the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom.

By combining expertise in lung biology, immunology, pharmacology and advanced tissue profiling, the researchers hope to gain a better understanding of why severe asthma develops and why patients respond differently to treatment.

Supporting research into lung disease

Longfonds is one of Europe’s largest private funders of lung research. The organisation supports scientific research into chronic lung diseases, including asthma and COPD, with the aim of contributing to better prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Longfonds currently supports more than 25 research projects and awards several substantial research grants each year.

Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children in the Netherlands. By supporting research into the mechanisms behind the disease, Longfonds aims to help improve treatments and ultimately contribute to a future in which lung diseases can be prevented or cured.

More information

• Profile page of Prof Reinoud Gosens
• Lung Fund subsidizes research into COPD and lung repair (2014)