Virtual academy of lung physiology and structure

This course will provide a solid knowledge base for PhD students and clinical fellows new to the respiratory field. Secondly, it is a refresher course for researchers and clinicians already working in the field. As such, the course will provide pre-recorded modules that present a brief recap of essential knowledge that is provided in most Masters courses at the university level, deepened with current state-of-the-art knowledge by world experts. The pre-recorded modules will be available before the course. Registered participants will be notified once these are available.

During the interactive programme days (15-17 May 2023), the audience will be primed with lectures that are aimed to stimulate discussion and will serve as an introduction to a variety of active learning sessions (to be determined by the chairs and discussion leaders). In these sessions, the participants will be able to bring in their own questions and cases, and/or discuss the application of knowledge and techniques to their own research projects.

Topics

• The opening lecture will emphasize the importance of a good start to life through lung development.
• The first day is dedicated to lung physiology and addresses respiratory diseases from a physiological perspective.
• The second day is dedicated to lung structures and their cellular composition in health and disease, and throughout life. It addresses processes of repair and regeneration, and their implications in respiratory diseases.
• The first part of the third day focuses on the immunological response of the lungs, and on the role of acute and chronic inflammation in respiratory diseases. The second part of the third day focuses on molecular aspects important in lung physiology and disease development, such as mitochondria, proteostasis, and mechanosensing.
• The exposome is the central concept of the closing lecture and will be used to illustrate lung function trajectories ending in lung aging.

The topics addressed in this course are related to all CPD modules.

Course format

• Pre-recorded modules
• Opening and closing lectures
• Live lectures – priming discussion
• Interactive discussions – active learning sessions

Please note that all timings are in Central European Summer Time (CEST).

Recordings of each session will be made available to registered participants after the event.

Learning outcomes

Following this course, participants will be able to describe basic respiratory physiological functions, from respiratory mechanics to gas exchange and transport or control of breathing, and how these are dysregulated in respiratory diseases. Participants will have obtained up-to-date insight into lung structures and their cellular composition in health and disease, and throughout life, and understand processes of repair and regeneration, including at the molecular level, and their implications in respiratory diseases. The participants will also gain knowledge of the immunological response of the lungs, and the role of acute and chronic inflammation in respiratory diseases.

Target audience

• PhD students
• Fellows
• Clinical researchers

Additional information

• Participants can sign up for the 3-day programme or select days.
• Pre-recorded modules can be watched prior to the virtual school and will remain available after the course.
• Participants might be asked to prepare for some of the interactive sessions (e.g. by submitting a case).
• Early Career Members will be asked to facilitate interactive sessions and to work together with faculty on day 2 to deliver priming lectures.

Accreditation

This event has been accredited with 22.5 CME credits by the European Board for Accreditation in Pneumology (EBAP).

The number of credits that you receive will  corresponds with your attendance during the online course. Please note that you need to join the live stream with your name to ensure that you receive the CME credits.