Projects
COPD and smoking
The main goal of this project is to develop new biological markers in blood, sputum, and exhaled breath to characterize the induction and progression of local and systemic inflammation in 'Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease' (COPD) in relation to the underlying genetic makeup. Nick ten Hacken, research coordinator of the project: “In 2008, the METc (Medisch Ethische
Toetsingscommissie) approved our study. We were able to standardize the clinical characterization of COPD and techniques to process induced sputum, exhaled breath, and peripheral blood. We also began validation of proteomics in epithelial lining fluid of the lung. Based on a number of pilot studies, we have chosen to measure the next variables in exhaled breath in the acute smoke
model: nitrite, nitrate, H2O2, TBARs; and in peripheral blood: A17, A27, CD11b, CD16, CD62L, CXCR1, CXCR2, CD54, CD32 expression.”
Partners: GlaxoSmithKline, Nycomed, University Medical Center Groningen, University Medical Center Utrecht, and University of Groningen
Full project title: Acute and chronic inflammatory responses