Scientific Concept – Mission Statement of the ECCPS
In view of the epidemiological burden of heart and lung diseases, there is a clear need
to investigate the underlying pathomechanisms and to generate an effective
arsenal of clinical therapies. These most relevant fields of medicine represent the focus of the ECCPS.
The rationale for assessing the changes initiated
by diseases of the cardio-pulmonary system in an integrated effort is not only based on the similarities
between the basic mechanisms in cardiac and pulmonary pathophysiology,
but also on the fact that disease processes in the heart and the lung are intimately linked.
Novel workable solutions for these scientific and medical problems can only be realized by facilitating
close collaboration between basic and clinical researchers who possess an indepth understanding of the
ardio-pulmonary system. Internationally renowned research groups at the universities of Frankfurt and Giessen,
working in the fields of cardiac and pulmonary diseases, have realized the potential synergy to be achieved
by bundling their expertise into a translational research center. These institutes will join forces
with the recently refounded Max-Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim to create
a translationalresearch center devoted to forefront research in cardio-pulmonary medicine, the ECCPS.
This „research triangle“ is a unique undertaking and will profit from the preexisting
collaboration between research groups in Frankfurt and Giessen and the recently established
„shared professorships“ between each of the universities and the Max-Planck Institute.
This structure will be further strengthened by establishing
additional professorships and Junior Research Groups to work in key areas that are underrepresented within the current
consortium. This initiative will enable the ECCPS to build on its position as a front runner in international research
into heart and lung diseases. The ECCPS concept is based on the integration of basic science disciplines in the field
of biomedicine with preclinical and clinical research into heart and lung disease and the transfer of the knowledge
gained into new treatment concepts and commercial (pharmaceutical, medical technological) exploitation.
The mission statement of the ECCPS is:
Cutting edge research for novel therapy of heart and lung diseases
and is reflected in our focus on three research areas:
- Vascular diseases of the heart and the lung
- Parenchymal diseases of the heart and the lung
- Heart-Lung interactio