The National Korányi Institute of Pulmonology (OKPI) and the ELKH Biological Research Centre (BRC) received HUF 1.2 billion in central funding from the Hungarian National Research, Development and Innovation Fund (NRDI Fund) for research into predicting the different course of chronic respiratory diseases accompanied by inflammation of the lungs. In addition to molecular characterization of lung disease patients and COVID-19 infected individuals, the consortium will establish a biobank.
The consortium leader, OKPI, investigates the inflammatory processes of chronic respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and cystic fibrosis (CF) using modern molecular technologies. A key purpose of the research is to identify biomarkers that enable the prediction of worsening conditions of patients affected by different inflammatory processes and to determine the risk of lung cancer development in patients. Molecular examinations of various inflammatory processes not only enhance understanding of the development and progression of a disease but also facilitate the development of new drug therapy targets and diagnostic methods for the future.
OKPI will establish a biobank within the framework of the project for the collection and storage of biological samples from patients with chronic lung diseases and those infected with COVID-19, which can provide a foundation for further research.
OKPI provides 'patient samples' to BRC for SARS-Cov-2 testing, the expected results of which could bring practical breakthroughs in predicting the course of coronavirus infections. Specifically, the researchers are investigating plasma biomarkers that can signal the onset of the cytokine storm, a life-threatening condition associated with COVID-19, as well as bilateral pneumonia, a cause of respiratory failure.
The results of the research will be published in Hungarian and English scientific journals. The project, which received funding from the NRDI Fund will conclude on March 31, 2024.