Deposition of inhaled aerosols: a biological-fluid mechanical analysis of the deposition of particles in a respiratory model to assess the propagation of inhaled agents and the efficiency and toxicity of active substances in human airways using allicin as reference substance

• Applicants: Dr. Martin Gruhlke; Dr.-Ing. Michael Klaas
• Subject Area: Fluid Mechanics ; Plant Physiology
• Term: from 2021 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 468940454

The severe respiratory disease COVID-19 is caused by the corona virus SARS-CoV-2. The primary transmission route is through aerosol inhalation, i.e., airborne droplet infection, either through direct contact with infected patients or indirectly via aerosols, e.g., in contaminated rooms. Also, life-threatening respiratory diseases that are caused by bacteria, e.g., pneumonia and tuberculosis, are transmitted via inhalation of infected droplets. To better understand the progression of these diseases from infection through symptom onset to hospitalization, it is a must to analyze the particle deposition of the virus- and bacteria-containing aerosols in the human airways in detail.An effective treatment of these respiratory diseases requires new approaches new classes of pharmaceutical active agents as well as new application strategies. Respiratory diseases provide the opportunity to apply the drugs via the inhalation of aerosols. New active substances, however, must be tested for their toxicity and efficiency in preclinical studies. In this context, the deposition of the aerosols of active agents in the respiratory tract is of particular importance.The scope of this study is to develop, evaluate and establish a fully three-dimensional, generic model of the human respiratory tract that allows to analyze the deposition of virus- and drug-containing aerosols in the human respiratory system under realistic in vitro conditions and to assess the toxicity and efficiency of drug-containing aerosols in a non-animal alternative test system using a combined approach of biology and experimental fluid mechanics.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professor Alan John Slusarenko, Ph.D.