COPD is a common and severe lung disease in which the lung function deteriorates over time. In severe COPD patients, air gets trapped in damaged lung tissue, hindering gas exchange. A successful treatment method is implanting one-way valves that allow the trapped air to escape from the lungs. Although the valves are initially very effective, their efficacy diminishes over time due to a foreign body response against the valves. The aim of this project is to develop and optimize a new coating for the lung valves that prevents the attachment of cells, proteins and micro-organisms, thereby inhibiting the excessive immune response that limits the functionality of lung implantable devices.
Daan Pouwels from the department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis will perform this study in close collaboration with Patrick van Rijn from the Department of Biomaterials and Biomedical Technology and Dirk-Jan Slebos from the Department of Pulmonary Diseases. Additionally, PulmonX (USA) and Polyvation (NL), responsible for the production of lung implantable devices and medical coatings respectively, as well as the RIVM will contribute to this project. Together, they will receive one million euro for this project.
The Open Technology Programme provides funding for application-oriented technical-scientific research that is free and unfettered and unencumbered by disciplinary boundaries. The programme provides a low-threshold way for companies and other organisations to join scientific research that should lead to societal and/or scientific impact.
