Klosterfrau Award for Research into Respiratory Diseases in Childhood
Respiratory diseases are among the most common childhood diseases worldwide. They pose a major challenge for affected families, as well as for medicine and research. In particular, the complex links between genetic and immunological processes in early childhood remain insufficiently understood.
With the Klosterfrau Award, which exists since 2001, the Klosterfrau Group underlines its commitment to excellence in research. At the same time, the award recognises and motivates the next generation of dedicated scientists who are committed to improving the quality of life of children with respiratory diseases.
Objectives and scope of funding
The Klosterfrau Award is aimed at scientists in clinical and basic research on pediatric lung diseases worldwide. Applicants are invited to submit a research paper, which will be assessed by an independent expert jury. Innovative work with translational potential is particularly honoured. There is a special focus on supporting young researchers under the age of 40.
The award is endowed with €30,000, of which €10,000 is at the winner’s free disposal and €20,000 is earmarked for further research activities. An additional research grant of €20,000 may be awarded to the applicant of a second high-quality research paper.
Award-Winner 2026
The 2026 Klosterfrau Award for Research into Respiratory Diseases in Childhood, worth 30,000 euros, has been awarded to Sam J. McCright of the University of Pennsylvania. He investigated how different fatty acids influence the immune system—first in a preclinical model, and subsequently in overweight children with asthma.
PD Dr. med. Elias Seidl, Klosterfrau Grant Winner for Research into Respiratory Diseases in Childhood 2026 und Juryvorsitzende Prof. Dr. med. Gesine Hansen.
The 2026 Klosterfrau Grant for Research into Respiratory Diseases in Childhood, worth 20,000 euros, goes to PD Dr. med. Elias Seidl of the University Children’s Hospital Zurich (Switzerland). He analyzed data from 424 children from ten European countries suffering from rare lung diseases (childhood interstitial lung diseases, chILD). The data comes from the European chILD-EU registry. The goal was to understand which factors have a particularly strong impact on quality of life.
Further information on this year’s award winners can be found here:
Meet our Jury
Terms and conditions of participation
- Submissions are possible between 1 July and 30 September 2026.
- Each application must be submitted by a single applicant.
- Only one paper per applicant, with the applicant as first or last author, will be considered.
- The submitted paper must have been published, or accepted for publication, in either 2025 or 2026.
- Applicants should not be older than 40 years.
- Papers submitted for the current year’s award cannot be considered again.
- The work may cover clinical or basic research with significant impact on pediatric pulmonology.
- Review papers will not be taken into account.
- In addition to the submitted paper, the application must include the following documents:
- A short statement letter from the head of the research group confirming support for the application.
- A short curriculum vitae of the applicant and a list of the applicant's publications.
- A summary of the submitted paper (max. 500 words) indicating its clinical relevance to respiratory diseases in childhood and outlining questions arising from the work that need to be answered in the future. References to further relevant papers by the same author may be included.
For any questions, please contact the following email address: award@klosterfrau.ch
Our most recent award winners
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most common noncommunicable respiratory disease in adults and is responsible for nearly three million deaths worldwide each year. Some of these cases are likely attributable to reduced lung growth during childhood. The research group led by Dr. Natalia Hernandez-Pacheco demonstrated that genetic factors increasing susceptibility to COPD are already associated with reduced lung function in childhood.
In a comprehensive study, data from 45,406 individuals aged 4–50 years were analyzed. First, a risk score was determined based on genetic findings, which was then correlated with various lung function parameters. An elevated risk score was associated with reduced lung function across all age groups.
(from left to right) Prof. Gesine Hansen, M.D. (Medical Director of the Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology, and Neonatology at Hannover Medical School and Chair of the Jury), award winner Dr. Simon Y. Graeber (Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin) and Dr. Stefan Oberbörsch (Head of Business & New Product Development at the Klosterfrau Group)
The “Klosterfrau Award for Research into Respiratory Diseases in Childhood 2024,” worth 30,000 euros, was awarded to Dr. Simon Graeber of Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. In his research, he investigated the effect of a specific triple therapy for cystic fibrosis and its sensitive monitoring in everyday clinical practice.
Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary multi-organ disease that affects approximately one in 1,500 newborns in Germany. This genetic mutation causes the lungs, digestive system, and other organs to produce thick mucus that is difficult to clear and damages the organs.
The research grant, worth 20,000 euros, was awarded to Denby Evans from the Telethon Kids Institute in Perth, Australia. The doctoral student was recognized for her work on the impact of inhaled therapy on lung function in children born before the 32nd week of pregnancy. These very preterm infants frequently develop lung diseases and impaired lung function.
(from left to right) Prof. Dr. Urs Frey, Prof. Dr. Gesine Hansen, Prof. Dr. med. Dr. nat. med. Miguel A. Alejandre Alcázar, Dr. med. Dr. sc. med. Fabienne Decrue and Dr. Stefan Oberbörsch
Dr. Fabienne Decrue, M.D., Ph.D., received the “Klosterfrau Award 2023” for her research on the effects of low-to-moderate air pollution during the second trimester of pregnancy on the lung function of preterm infants—and thus on the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adulthood. An additional research grant from the Klosterfrau Group was awarded to Prof. Miguel A. Alejandre Alcázar, MD, PhD, from the University Children’s Hospital Cologne. In his work, he demonstrated that obesity around the time of birth influences lung development and leads to chronic lung diseases. Both studies not only contribute to our understanding of two common factors affecting the infant lung shortly before, during, and shortly after birth, but also identify concrete starting points for the development of new preventive strategies against the early onset of chronic lung diseases.
Wendy Fonseca and Senne Cuyx
Pediatrician Senne Cuyx received the “Klosterfrau Award 2022” for his research on identifying dysfunction of the CFTR protein through imaging analysis of rectal organoids in cystic fibrosis. This promising approach expands the possibilities for diagnosis. The “Klosterfrau Research Grant 2022” was awarded to veterinarian Wendy Fonseca. Using a mouse model, the researcher demonstrated the influence of the maternal gut microbiome on the immunity of offspring against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections. Modulation of the mother’s gut microbiome using the probiotic Lactobacillus johnsonii improved respiratory tract protection against RSV infections in newborns.
