The German Center for Lung Research (Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung, DZL) was initiated by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (‘Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung’, BMBF). It is a research association of excellent clinicians and scientists.

These researchers work at 29 institutions all over Germany in universities, university clinics, free clinics and institutes of the Leibniz Association, the Fraunhofer Association the Max Planck Society and the Helmholtz Association. By joining forces, the DZL facilitates research along the complete translational chain, because basic research, research on animal models of lung diseases and clinical research get together. Alike the other five German Centers for Health Research (Deutsche Zentren der Gesundheitsforschung, DZG) the DZL is dedicated to research on widespread diseases.

The DZL is lead by the Board of Directors, in which the five DZL sites are represented by their directors.

These are:

• Prof. Dr. Werner Seeger (Chairman of the Board, Speaker of the DZL, DZL site UGMLC)
• Prof. Dr. Hans-Ulrich Kauczor (DZL site TLRC)
• Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Erika von Mutius (DZL site CPC-M)
• Prof. Dr. Klaus F. Rabe (DZL site ARCN) and
• Prof. Dr. Tobias Welte (DZL site BREATH)

DZL Scientific Officer is Dr. Christian Kalberlah. He is supported by Susanne Klasen, Alina Zidaric, Natalie Liebel, Rogin Honar and Christin Krakau.

Further information can be found on the DZL Homepage und in the Area Media & Downloads on this website.

The DZL was founded on November 14, 2011 as registered association (‘eingetragener Verein’, e.V.). It received funds of 73 mio. € in its first funding period (2011-15) which were provided by the BMBF (90%) and the Federal States (10%). The financial department of the DZL is located at the Helmholtz Center in Munich. In the second funding period (2016-20) the DZL received approx. 25 mio. € per year from its funding bodies. The third funding period runs from 2021-23.