25,000 grant awarded to Lleida project to investigate lung sequelae caused by severe respiratory infections

The Eugenio Rodríguez Pascual Foundation has awarded a grant to the project 'Analysis of Pulmonary Endotypes in Post-COVID Patients: A Comprehensive Study', led by the researcher of the Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine group at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine of Lleida (IRBLleida), David de Gonzalo. The project, which is funded with €25,000 and will last for two years, aims to identify endotypes, i.e. health conditions associated with persistent pulmonary sequelae in survivors of critical COVID-19.

"In patients affected by severe respiratory infections, the lack of adequate lung repair can lead to chronic alterations in lung function and structure. These sequelae represent a major social, economic and public health challenge by increasing the risk of hospital readmissions and sick leave. They also have a negative impact on the income and quality of life of both patients and their caregivers," explained David de Gonzalo.

"Therefore, research on pulmonary sequelae caused by severe respiratory infections, a clinical area that has received limited attention before the pandemic, has become a central focus of current research policies," added the researcher.

In this project, the research group starts from the premise that the identification of endotypes associated with persistent pulmonary sequelae in survivors of critical COVID-19 could facilitate the understanding of the predominant pathological and biological mechanisms, identify potential therapeutic targets and develop new biomarkers. These findings would enable the implementation of early-stage and personalised interventions.

The 'Fundación Eugenio Rodriguez Pascual Research Grants' call aims to award grants to stable research teams working in the area of biomedicine in public or private universities or other public research organisations. The grants are intended for research projects with a duration of between one and two years.

Imagen: The researcher, David de Gonzalo