Respiratory conditions such as asthma or rare lung diseases can be extremely challenging. Everyday life is particularly affected for families with children who suffer from these conditions. This year’s two award winners, Sam J. McCright (USA, winner of the International Klosterfrau Group Award for Research on Airway Diseases in Childhood) and PD Dr. med. Elias Seidl (Switzerland, winner of the International Klosterfrau Group Grant for Research on Airway Diseases in Childhood), aim to alleviate this suffering. The award-winning scientific studies demonstrate how diet can influence inflammation in asthma and which factors particularly determine the quality of life for children with rare lung diseases.

The “International Klosterfrau Group Award for Research into Airway Diseases in Childhood” has been presented annually since 2001 on the initiative of Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Dietrich Reinhardt. It honours researchers whose work have made a significant contribution to basic research, diagnosis and treatment of paediatric respiratory diseases.

The 2026 International Klosterfrau Group Award for Research of Airway Diseases in Childhood, worth 30,000€, goes to Sam J. McCright of the University of Pennsylvania. He investigated how various fatty acids influence the immune system – initially in a preclinical model, and subsequently in overweight children with asthma. The results are clear1:

• Stearic acid, a saturated fatty acid, accumulates in certain immune cells in the lungs and intensifies inflammatory reactions.
• This effect occurred regardless of body weight – the composition of the diet is the decisive factor.
• Oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid, on the other hand, tended to exhibit protective properties.
• If a specific inflammatory signal (IL1β) or the enzyme IRE1α is blocked, inflammation can be significantly reduced. This opens up new therapeutic approaches in the long term.

Cells exhibiting a similar pattern of inflammatory activation to that seen in the preclinical model were also found in lung samples from overweight children. This supports the hypothesis that diet can directly influence inflammatory activity in the lungs – an aspect that has often been underestimated in clinical practice to date.

The International Klosterfrau Group Grant for Research of Airway Diseases in Childhood 2026, worth 20,000 euros, has been awarded to PD Dr. med. Elias Seidl of the University Children’s Hospital Zurich (Switzerland). He analysed 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 aim was to understand which factors have a particularly strong impact on quality of life. The study reveals two key findings2:  

• Earlier hospital admissions have a significant negative impact on quality of life – more so than many other clinical factors.
• Failure to thrive, i.e. a lack of age-appropriate growth, has a particularly negative effect.

Both factors are associated with a significantly poorer quality of life – to a much greater extent than other influences examined, such as chronic medication, typical respiratory symptoms or social circumstances. In practice, this means that early, targeted nutritional therapy is essential to prevent growth problems. At the same time, outpatient services should be strengthened to reduce hospital stays – wherever this is medically justifiable.

“This year’s award winners impressively demonstrate how excellent research can help translate fundamental research into key insights for the development of better treatments for lung diseases and bring about lasting improvements in the lives of paediatric patients. Sam McCright provides groundbreaking insights into the role of saturated fatty acids in neutrophilic inflammation and obesity-associated asthma, whilst Elias Seidl clearly demonstrates which factors determine quality of life in rare interstitial lung diseases. It is precisely this kind of work that we aim to support with the Klosterfrau Group Award – research that is scientifically outstanding and can be directly translated into better care for children with lung diseases,” says jury chair Prof. Dr. med. Gesine Hansen.