Reinoud Gosens partner in NWO Perspectief consortium

Professor Reinoud Gosens of the Groningen Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP) is a partner in a consortium that has received an NWO Perspecief grant. The grant is for the project 'RecovAir: Repairing lung damage via recovery of stromal health to restore respiratory function'; or research into the repair of alveoli. Professor Irene Heijink of the UMCG is coordinator.

A total of fifteen partners, consisting of universities, companies and other societal organizations, are involved in the project. Gosens receives EUR 200,000 for his part in the project. He will contribute organoid and lung slice technology to the consortium to evaluate novel drug candidates targeting stromal cells for lung repair.

A breath of fresh air for COPD patients

Almost 600,000 people in the Netherlands suffer from COPD, a progressive aging-related lung disease that is the number three cause of death worldwide. The RecovAir programme intends to change this by encapsulating medication or stem cells within an ultra-thin hydrogel layer. This allows these compounds to reach deep into the lungs, rather than them being cleared prematurely by the human body. Once there, they will repair or replace the damaged air sacs of the lungs. Ultimately, the programme will reduce overall healthcare costs and increase the quality of life of these COPD patients as well as their participation in society.

Perspectief

Perspectief challenges researchers to form consortia with industry and societal organizations. In this way, they work together on technological innovations with societal impact and the creation of economic opportunities for the Netherlands.