German Center for Lung Research

What German Center for Lung Research does

The German Center for Lung Research (Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung e.V., DZL) is a federally-mandated non-profit translational research consortium headquartered in Gießen, Germany, founded in 2011 and registered as an eingetragener Verein. It coordinates 28 leading university and non-university institutions across five partner sites — ARCN, BREATH, CPC-M, TLRC, and UGMLC — covering eight major lung disease areas including asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, pneumonia, pulmonary hypertension, diffuse parenchymal lung disease, lung cancer, and lung transplant/regeneration.

DZL's core technology platform centers on a Data Warehouse built on the open-source i2b2 framework (Harvard/MIT), governed by a unified DZL Broad Consent and harmonized via the CoMetaR ontology platform referencing LOINC and SNOMED-CT classifications. This is complemented by a Biobanking & Data Management Platform integrated with the German Biobank Node and BBMRI, an Imaging Platform standardizing image acquisition and analysis across sites, and disease-specific DZL Core Datasets that enable multi-center feasibility queries. The consortium operates dedicated working groups in AI & Digital Tools, Lung Environment Interaction, Microbiome-Metagenome, and Single Cell Analysis, and runs the DZL Academy and DataLung School for researcher training.

DZL's revenue model is dominated by public funding from the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) as part of the Deutsche Zentren der Gesundheitsforschung (DZG) initiative, supplemented by donations (channeled via Volksbank Mittelhessen with 100% directed to research), bequests, and limited clinical study services. It serves three primary stakeholder groups: patients with lung and respiratory diseases (via the Lung Information Service, EPAP, iCOPDler, and clinical trial access), translational researchers and PIs across the 28 partner institutions, and healthcare professionals seeking clinical guidelines and trial data. Patient and public engagement are delivered through annual reports, the biannual DZL Inside newsletter, a LinkedIn presence, YouTube content, and an annual meeting that drew approximately 700 participants in June 2026.

Name

German Center for Lung Research

Legal name

Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung e. V.

Website

https://dzl.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The German Center for Lung Research (DZL) is a federally-funded, non-profit translational research consortium coordinating 28 German university and non-university institutions across five sites to accelerate bench-to-bedside research in asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, pulmonary hypertension, pneumonia, and lung transplant.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Translational Biomedical Research Consortium

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Translational Medicine & Biomarkers (HLAIALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

FHIR/HL7 Data Repositories & Canonical Data Models (HLACAIAI), Interoperability Standards, Profiles & Implementation (HL7/FHIR/IHE) (HLACABAA)

Keywords

• Translational lung research
• Respiratory disease research
• Clinical data infrastructure
• Biobanking platform services
• Lung disease clinical trials

Headquarters

HQ city

Giesen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public/Government Funding: As a federally-funded research consortium (Drittmittelgeber), DZL receives substantial funding from German federal and state government bodies including the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF). This constitutes the primary revenue stream.
2. Donations & Charitable Contributions: The German Center for Lung Research is a non-profit association that accepts donations. 100% of donations go directly into research. Single donations, regular standing orders, bereavement donations, and legacy bequests are accepted. Volksbank Mittelhessen is the banking partner.
3. Clinical Trial and Research Services: Revenue generated through clinical studies conducted across DZL network study centers, in cooperation with the Lung Information Service platform.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DZL coordinates translational lung research across 28 German university and non-university institutions, providing shared research infrastructure including a centralized clinical Data Warehouse (built on i2b2), a metadata ontology platform (CoMetaR), biobanking and imaging platforms, and standardized disease-specific Core Datasets. It conducts multi-center clinical studies, supports researcher training through the DZL Academy, and disseminates patient information through the Lung Information Service and education programs such as iCOPDler and the European Patient Ambassador Programme.

Product overview

The German Center for Lung Research (DZL) is a consortium of 28 leading university and non-university institutions dedicated to lung and respiratory disease research at the highest international level. Rather than a single commercial product, DZL offers a research infrastructure portfolio centered on the DZL Data Warehouse (built on Harvard/MIT's i2b2 open source platform with CoMetaR ontology management), complemented by disease-specific Core Datasets covering nine major lung disease areas. Supporting infrastructure includes the Biobanking & Data Management Platform and Imaging Platform. For patient engagement, DZL provides the Lung Information Service, European Patient Ambassador Programme, and iCOPDler training program. Education and training are delivered through DZL Academy (including DataLung School for data science training) and the DZL Inside newsletter. Cross-cutting research is facilitated through specialized working groups in AI & Digital Tools, Lung Environment Interaction, Microbiome-Metagenome, and Single Cell Analysis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DZL Academy: Promoting the career development of students and doctoral candidates in medicine and life sciences with a focus on clinical, translational, and basic lung research.
• DZL DataLung School
• DZL Data Warehouse
• Lung Information Service (LID)
• DZL Data Warehouse (DZL DWH)
• DZL Inside

Products and services

• DZL Data Warehouse Centralized data storage and access platform for patient-related lung research data, providing broad coordinated access for scientific purposes while maintaining data confidentiality through pseudonymous storage. Built on the open-source i2b2 software from Harvard University and MIT, used by researchers across DZL member institutions for feasibility queries.
• CoMetaR (Collaborative Metadata Repository) Platform for creating, editing, and visualizing a common lung-research-specific ontology. Supports structured annotations including phenotypes, measured data, and sample data, with references to LOINC and SNOMED-CT classifications, enabling data integration across multiple research centers.
• Biobanking & Data Management Platform Central platform providing biobanking services and standardized data management across DZL's 28 partner institutions, enabling harmonized sample handling and integration with the national German Biobank Node (GBN) and BBMRI.
• Imaging Platform Imaging platform providing standardized image acquisition, processing, and analysis capabilities for lung research across DZL's five partner sites, enabling cross-institutional imaging studies with harmonized protocols.
• DZL Core Datasets Standardized disease-specific datasets covering asthma and allergy, acute lung injury, COPD, cystic fibrosis, diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD), pulmonary hypertension, lung transplant, lung cancer, and pneumonia for coordinated multi-center lung research across DZL.
• Lung Information Service (LID) Trusted health information service for patients and the general public on lung diseases, operated in cooperation with Helmholtz Munich, providing clear insights from research and clinical practice on respiratory conditions.
• European Patient Ambassador Programme (EPAP) Free online course developed in cooperation with the European Lung Foundation (ELF) to help patients, family members, and caregivers build skills in accessing health information and engaging with healthcare professionals.
• iCOPDler Five-part video training series developed with Hannover Medical School for people with COPD, explaining medical basics, treatment options, and quality-of-life improvement strategies in accessible language.
• DZL Academy Comprehensive training and career development program for students and doctoral researchers in medicine and life sciences related to clinical, translational, and basic lung research, including mentoring, grants, fellowship programs, and workshops.
• DZL DataLung School Data science training program fostering data science talent within the DZL network, providing specialized training for future data scientists in lung research.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of donations go directly into research
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 9th World Bronchiectasis Conference (hosted by DZL site BREATH/Hannover)minorOthers · 24 June 2026DZL site BREATH in Hannover hosts the 9th World Bronchiectasis Conference from June 24–27, 2026, representing an international scientific event partnership within the bronchiectasis and respiratory disease research community.
• TMF (Technologie- und Methodenplattform für die vernetzte medizinische Forschung e.V.)minorOthersDZL is a member of TMF, the Technology and Methods Platform for Networked Medical Research, a German umbrella organization promoting interdisciplinary and cross-institutional medical research collaboration. DZL participates in TMF initiatives and events.
• European Lung Foundation (ELF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDZL maintains a close connection to the European Lung Foundation, a patient-led organization working in partnership with the European Respiratory Society (ERS) internationally. Dr. Pippa Powell, Director of ELF, serves as a member of DZL's Scientific Advisory Board, ensuring patient voices are represented within DZL governance. DZL also cooperated with ELF to publish the German version of the European Patient Ambassador Programme (EPAP).
• European Respiratory Society (ERS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDZL partners with the European Respiratory Society through joint fellowship programs (DZL/ERS Fellowship Programme), research collaborations, and the DZL Annual Meeting. ERS Short-Term Research Fellowships, Clinical Training Fellowships, and Long-Term Research Fellowships are promoted through DZL channels. The 9th World Bronchiectasis Conference is jointly organized/hosted by DZL site BREATH in Hannover.
• Helmholtz Munich (Helmholtz-Zentrum München)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Lung Information Service (LID), located at Helmholtz Munich, has been a trusted professional partner of DZL since its founding. LID helps disseminate reliable health information to patients and the general public, and scientists and physicians from DZL sites contribute editorial content and assist with patient inquiries.
• Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI is listed as a scientific organization cooperation partner. The Cardio-Pulmonary Institute represents a collaborative research initiative in cardio-pulmonary medicine that intersects with DZL's research domains.
• Institute for Lung Health (ILH), GießencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Institute for Lung Health (ILH) in Gießen is listed as a DZL cooperation partner, contributing to the research ecosystem centered around the Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, which also hosts the DZL Head Office.
• Justus-Liebig-Universität GießencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe DZL Head Office is located on the campus of Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen. The university is a founding institutional partner and hosts the UGMLC (Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center) DZL site.
• American Thoracic Society (ATS)minorOthersDZL lists the American Thoracic Society among its scientific organization partners, indicating cooperation and alignment with international respiratory research standards and events.
• Forschungscampus Mittelhessen (FCMH) – Lungen- und HerzmedizinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDZL cooperates with Forschungscampus Mittelhessen in the Lung and Heart Medicine research focus area, facilitating regional research collaboration across institutions in Central Hesse.
• Hessischer Förderverein Lunge und Gesundheit e.V.minorOthersRegional support association (Hessian Support Association for Lung and Health) is listed as a DZL cooperation partner, supporting fundraising and public engagement for lung research in the state of Hesse.
• German Biobank Node (GBN) / BBMRIcoreTechnology or IntegrationDZL participates in the German Biobank Register and is part of the German Biobank Node (GBN), the centralized biobanks of the National Biobank Initiative (cBMB). This integrates DZL's biobanking platform with national and European research infrastructure (BBMRI).
• Nationale Kohorte (NAKO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDZL cooperates with the German National Cohort (NAKO), a large-scale population-based health study in Germany, for data sharing and research collaboration in population health research.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI): NHLBI is the US national research authority for heart, lung, and blood diseases — the closest international counterpart to DZL in mandate and funding scale, with substantially larger cohort and budget envelope.
• Francis Crick Institute: The Francis Crick Institute is a major UK biomedical research consortium model that — like DZL — integrates multiple research streams under coordinated national infrastructure; while broader than DZL, it represents a comparable institutional template for large-scale translational biomedical research.
• Helmholtz Munich (Helmholtz-Zentrum München): Helmholtz Munich is a Core strategic partner of DZL and hosts the Lung Information Service; as a major Helmholtz Association research center, it operates respiratory and metabolic disease research at significantly larger scale than DZL's central office while sharing overlapping lung research programs.

Direct peers

• Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research: MPI for Heart and Lung Research is a German basic-research institute with substantial overlap in lung and cardiopulmonary research programs — comparable scientific mission though organized as a single institute rather than a multi-site consortium.
• German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK): DZHK is a sister DZG center under the same BMBF national consortium framework as DZL, coordinating cardiovascular translational research across partner sites in Germany — directly comparable governance, funding, and platform structure.
• German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE): DZNE is another BMBF-funded DZG translational research center, structurally identical to DZL — multi-site national consortium with shared platform model applied to neurodegenerative disease research.
• German Cancer Consortium (DKTK): DKTK is a translational oncology consortium under the DZG umbrella alongside DZL, sharing the same BMBF funding mechanism and multi-site institutional coordination model, though focused on cancer rather than lung specifically.
• German Center for Infection Research (DZIF): DZIF is a direct peer of DZL — one of the other designated Deutsche Zentren der Gesundheitsforschung (DZG) centers funded by BMBF, coordinating 35+ member institutions under the same federal consortium model for translational infectious disease research.

Others

• European Lung Foundation (ELF): ELF is DZL's Core patient-led partner organization under ERS, with ELF's Director on DZL's Scientific Advisory Board and joint programs like EPAP. Comparable in mission to DZL's patient engagement work, focused on respiratory patient advocacy and education across Europe.

Emerging players

• European Respiratory Society (ERS): ERS is a Core strategic partner of DZL, jointly running fellowship programs and co-organizing conferences. While primarily a professional society rather than a research consortium, ERS shapes European respiratory research standards and complements DZL's translational mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=ti-6yYNSSv0
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/german-center-for-lung-research-dzl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about German Center for Lung Research