Linde Healthcare, a global business unit of The Linde Group, today announced the new beneficiaries of its REALfund initiative. The REALfund supports ideas and projects with the potential to improve patient outcomes and health economics across the wide field of respiratory medicine.

Selected from more than 30 applications, three grantees of the REALfund will receive funds to support their innovative research:

Professor Stefan Mihaicuta, MD, PhD, FCCP, V. Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Romania, is working on implementation of a new methodology for early diagnosis and continuous patient management of sleep apnea, based on an e-health system facilitated by complex networks science.

Professor Philipp Latzin MD, PhD, University Children Hospital, Basel, Switzerland, is researching how to help transfer double tracer gas single-breath washout, an innovative robust, inexpensive, fast, and sensitive diagnostic method for small airway disease, into clinics.

Torbjörn L Möller, CareTelCom AB, Veberöd, Sweden, is developing and verifying a predictive algorithmic system for early detection of potentially upcoming exacerbations in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Dr Christian Wojczewski, head of Linde Healthcare, says in a release: “Linde Healthcare continues to be committed to cooperating with researchers from around the world to support research and innovative developments in the area of respiratory care. The newly awarded REALfund grants span a diverse range of research areas—from the transfer of gas-based diagnostic methods into routine clinics, to new methodology for early diagnosis and patient management of sleep apnea. The grants also include a new system for prediction of acute exacerbations in patients suffering from COPD. The work of these researchers, when realized, will help healthcare professionals, support healthcare systems, and further improve the quality of care and life for patients.”

Grantees of the REALfund are selected with the help of medical and scientific experts and will be supported in their continued research. Dr Konstantin Fiedler, head of innovation and development at Linde Healthcare, states: “The aim of Linde Healthcare’s REALfund initiative is to seek and reward ideas that have real potential to be developed into better respiratory care solutions for patients. We commend all applicants to the fund for their commitment to innovation and idea development in this area of healthcare. The grantees saw the potential in their projects and we at Linde Healthcare are delighted to recognise and reward the ideas that will truly benefit patients.”

The REALfund event and awards ceremony took place on September 8 concurrent with the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Munich, Germany.