Hande Yilmaz and Leonard Christian are doctoral candidates in the “Translational Pulmonology” research group at the Department of Pulmonology and Infectious Diseases at MHH. Under the leadership of BREATH principal investigator Prof. Dr. Jonas Schupp, they are investigating new therapeutic approaches for fibrotic lung diseases. They received the award for their study titled "Spatial transcriptomics uncovers hybrid, pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic cellular niches in pulmonary granuloma of patients with chronic sarcoidosis". In their research, the scientists used advanced spatial transcriptomics techniques to precisely map the cellular architecture and molecular signature of pulmonary granulomas in patients with chronic sarcoidosis.

The study characterizes cellular niches as functional units within granulomas, revealing hybrid zones that exhibit both pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic properties. These findings provide crucial insights into the microscopic organization of granulomatous inflammation and suggest that specific cell types and their interactions play a key role in the chronic progression of the disease. Identifying these distinct microenvironments may open up new therapeutic targets, particularly for early intervention aimed at preventing fibrotic tissue remodeling.

“We are incredibly honored to receive this award. It is a great motivation for us to continue advancing our research—with the goal of offering people with sarcoidosis better prospects and more targeted treatment options in the future,” said Hande Yilmaz and Leonard Christian.

The BREATH community warmly congratulates both awardees on this outstanding achievement!

Text: BREATH/AB

Photo: © Mike Auerbach