Markers of lung damage in tuberculosis-associated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (TRACE COPD)

The project plans to analyze the population of patients with TB-induced COPD in Latvia, comparing changes in endobronchial biopsies among patients with TB-induced COPD, smoking-associated COPD, and COPD patients with a combination of both factors. The project will combine the scientific expertise of Riga Stradiņš University (RSU) in the field of TB and the specific patient population at Riga East Clinical University Hospital in Latvia with the excellence in COPD research at the University of Freiburg's Pulmonology Clinic (UoF) in Germany. The implementation of the project will support the team’s students and promote Riga-Freiburg collaboration in research. The technologies used will be transferred from UoF to RSU, supporting students and fostering scientific sustainability in the future. 

The study data will be used to evaluate the possibility of histologically characterizing TB-induced COPD. Based on the results obtained, further research on the treatment strategy for TB-induced COPD is planned. The results will be published in open-access journals and presented at the ERS Congress. Project team members lead the WHO Collaborating Centre for TB Research, creating an opportunity to disseminate the study results internationally to industry specialists, scientists, and policymakers. 

The results obtained in the project will make a significant contribution to understanding the pathogenesis of TB-induced COPD worldwide.

Lead Researcher

• Daiana Stolz

Contact Person

Anna Saliņa
Tel.: +371 29527957
E-mail: anna.salina@aslimnica.lv