Over more than 50 hours of meetings, presentations and discussions, the scientists exchanged insights into the latest results from their research projects, discussed new methodological approaches and provided important impulses for further cross-site collaboration. A particular focus this year was the large plenary session, during which the research priorities and strategies for the upcoming funding period, DZL 5.0, were presented. The DZL’s international Scientific Advisory Board, which was strongly represented with ten members, subsequently provided extensive feedback on the strategy presented.

Early-career researchers were also strongly represented: During the large poster session, they presented a total of 424 posters, offering an impressive insight into the breadth of current research activities within the DZL. The BREATH site is particularly pleased with its great success among the 14 poster awards presented.

The following researchers were awarded:

• DPLD: Annalea Brüggemann: “Immune Architecture and Tissue Organization in Bronchopulmonary Sequestration”
• PALI: Maeva Katzmarzyk: “Latent MCMV infection elicits protective tissue-associated T cell immunity against SARS-CoV-2”
• PH: Carina Alexandra Pawlow: “Immunological landscape in healthy versus end-stage lung disease parenchyma and lymph nodes”
• PLB: Svenja Gaedcke together with Doreen Franke (CPC-M): “DataLung: A Data Science School for the DZL”
• PLI: Julia Rückoldt together with Noah Heldt (ARCN): “JuNo: Joint Utilization of Novel imaging technology for AT2 Organoids”

Over the coming weeks, we will present the award-winning projects behind the poster prizes in more detail.

On Tuesday evening, the DZL Academy Fellows came together for a joint reception. The event offered early-career researchers the opportunity to get to know one another across sites and to network. During the evening event, the newly elected representatives of the individual DZL sites were also introduced. Dr. Jannik Ruwisch will represent the DZL Academy Fellows from the BREATH site within the DZL for the next two years. We wish him every success in this role and look forward to working with him. We would also like to sincerely thank Dr. Da-Hee Park, who previously held this role, for her commitment and dedication.

We look back on an inspiring Annual Meeting, take many new ideas with us and are pleased about the numerous contacts made as well as the collaborations emerging from them. Once again, the meeting demonstrated how strongly the BREATH site contributes to the entire DZL network.