From left to right: Manel Essaidi-Laziosi, prizewinner, Daniel Lew, member of the Scientific Advisory Board, Antoine Geissbuhler, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine & chair of the Scientific Advisory Board, Claes Wolheim, member of the Board & member of the Scientific Advisory Board, Petra Huppi, member of the Board & member of the Scientific Advisory Board, Marie Schaer, member of the Scientific Advisory Board, Eric Sarasin, member of the Board & Stefan Schmid, chair of the Foundation Board. 

The Gertrude von Meissner Foundation has awarded four research prizes for scientific projects in the field of prevention and treatment of disabilities and illnesses in children and adolescents to researchers at the UNIGE Faculty of Medicine.

Dre Géraldine BLANCHARD-ROHNER,  Department of Paediatrics, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Centre for Vaccinology, Geneva Centre for Inflammation Research 

The aim of this project is to assess chromatin accessibility and gene expression at the single cell level in immune cells from children experiencing a PFAPA flare, a paediatric auto-inflammatory disease, between flares and at remission, and to compare these results with healthy controls, and assess whether dysregulation of circulating cells correlates with inflammation in the affected tissues.

Dre Manel ESSAIDI LAZIOSI, Department of Medicine, Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases 

This study will help to understand why viral pathogenesis differs between children and adults. A new in vitro model of the human respiratory tract epithelium will enable us to study age-dependant innate immune responses and uncover mechanisms potentially linked to the severity of the disease.

Dr David LEGOUIS, Department of Medicine, Dr Ali SASSI, Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Dr Grégoire ARNOUX, Department of Anaesthesiology, Pharmacology, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine

This project investigates the impact of proximal tubule metabolic workload on the toxicity of chronic proteinuria in pediatric nephrotic syndrome. The hypothesis is that increased energy demand exacerbates mitochondrial stress in tubular cells, contributing to the progression of chronic kidney disease. The study assesses tubular injury, oxygen consumption, and ATP production. The findings will be validated in paediatric kidney biopsies, aiming to develop new therapeutic strategies.

Dre Isabelle RUCHONNET-METRAILLER, Department of Paediatrics, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Department of Pathology and Immunology 

Developmental lung disease encompasses a range of conditions such as congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) or congenital pulmonary airway malformations (CPAM), which are characterised by neonatal morbidity and mortality. Recent findings suggest that pro-inflammatory molecular pathways are abnormally activated in the lungs. However, their role in pathogenesis remains poorly understood. This collaborative project between the University of Geneva and the University of Leipzig aims to study the proteomic landscape of developmental lung disease in detail.

Developmental lung disease encompasses different pathologies such as congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) or Congenital Pulmonary Airways Malformations (CPAM), which are characterised by neonatal morbidity and mortality. Recent findings suggest that pro-inflammatory molecular pathways are abnormally activated. However, their role in fetal human lung pathogenesis remains poorly understood. This collaborative project between the University of Geneva and the University of Leipzig aims to comprehensively investigate the proteomic landscape of fetal human developmental lung diseases.

The von Meissner Foundation was created in 1988 thanks to the legacy of Mrs Gertrude von Meissner, in memory of her daughter Annette and her grandson Clas. Its aim is to promote projects in the field of children's health and well-being. For the 21st year, the Foundation is supporting medical research in Geneva, and in particular research projects in the field of prevention and treatment of disabilities and illnesses in children, adolescents and teenagers.