We are proud to announce that Natalia Hernandez-Pacheco, a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Clinical Research and Education, Södersjukhuset, has been awarded the Klosterfrau Group Award for Research of Airway Diseases in Childhood 2025.
The award recognizes Natalia's work conducted as an international collaborative effort in the framework of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Clinical Research Collaboration CADSET (Chronic Airway Diseases Early Stratification). This study investigated how genetic factors of airflow limitation affect lung function across the lifespan.
"I feel very honored to be awarded the Klosterfrau Group Award for Research of Airway Diseases in Childhood 2025 for exploring the contribution of genetic factors of COPD on lung function from childhood to adulthood. This study was the result of a great team effort led by Professor Erik Melén within the framework of the ERS Clinical Research Collaboration CADSET. I would like to sincerely thank each of our CADSET colleagues who worked so hard to make this study possible," says Natalia Hernandez-Pacheco .
The study, conducted at Karolinska Institutet, shows that genetic factors previously linked to adult Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) also affect reduced lung function already in children and adolescents . These findings support previous suggestions of early screening of lung function in subjects with a high genetic risk for COPD. However, potential direct clinical use remains to be evaluated.
"We are very grateful to Klosterfrau Healthcare Group for their interest in our work and for selecting us for this award. It is a true honor!" adds Dr. Hernandez-Pacheco.
