Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major global health burden, characterised by the progressive destruction of lung tissue, and considerable heterogeneity in clinical presentation and treatment response. While exercise training is a key part of COPD management and can improve symptoms, responses can vary significantly, and the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are not well understood.

This pilot project seeks to identify and characterise regenerative pathways in the lung that are activated by exercise. We will map cellular and extracellular matrix (ECM) phenotypes across COPD stages, focusing on exercise-induced alterations and their correlation with serum protein levels. To this end, we will employ advanced spatial and multimodal omics technologies, including high-plex spatial proteomics, mass spectrometry of lung tissue and serum, and nanoscale X-ray fluorescence imaging at the MAX IV Laboratory in Lund. The data will be correlated with lung function metrics, including AiDA, a novel method for assessing the degree of emphysema. These integrated approaches will provide into spatially organised cell–ECM interactions and exercise-induced regenerative signatures with the goal of enabling personalised, mechanism based therapies.

Through a collaborative effort initially uniting Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, and the University of Copenhagen, our aim is to establish a Nordic Centre of Excellence for Lung Regeneration and Precision Medicine in COPD.