Lung inflammation and immunity: report from the 12th ERS Lung Science Conference.

Abstract

The European Respiratory Society (ERS) seeks to alleviate suffering from respiratory diseases and promote lung health through research, dissemination of knowledge, and medical and public education. In support of this mission, the ERS organises the annual Lung Science Conference (LSC). This world-class research meeting brings together leading experts on topics that are of relevance to respiratory medicine. Furthermore, at the LSC, one of the main focuses is early-career physicians and scientists who are involved in respiratory research, as these are the future leaders of the field [1]. Inflammatory diseases of the lung are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In March 2014, international experts met for the 12th LSC in Estoril, Portugal, to present and discuss novel findings in the field of “Lung Inflammation and Immunity”, recognising that inflammation is the main pathogenic process in many respiratory diseases, such as asthma and infection, and a significant contributor to many others [2, 3]. Old and recent anti-inflammatory and/or immunomodulating drugs are the main tools of our current treatment in many respiratory diseases, and new drugs targeting inflammatory pathways are being developed. This was discussed in an early evening session “The new drug discovery paradigm” by Tomas Mustelin (Respiratory, Inflammatory, and Autoimmune Diseases, MedImmune, Gaithersburg, MD, USA) and Robert Strieter (Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA), who were both involved in academic respiratory research before joining pharmaceutical companies. Part of the 2014 LSC was focused on the mechanisms of allergy and asthma, but other fields of interest were discussed, particularly lung fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema, pulmonary hypertension, and lung transplantation. Inflammation and immunity are central to the pathogenesis of asthma and other allergic diseases. As discussed by Bart Lambrecht (Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium), dendritic cells drive the immune process very early …