Developmental Physiology / Epidemiology and BILD birth cohort

The particular focus is the study of the impact of air pollution on the onset of early asthma in infants and on lung growth. This research team is based on the BILD birth cohort of healthy infants (Prof U. Frey, PI) and infants surviving prematurity. The BILD birth cohort (Basel Bern Infant Lung Development) is a two-center study at the University of Basel and has been funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation for over 13 years.

• Basel Bern Infant Lung Development Study, a birth cohort studying the effects of genetic and environmental factors on lung development and growth. Subjects are recruited at birth and lung function tests are performed at age 5-6 weeks, age 6 and age 12. Other data is collected at birth and after the child's first respiratory infection. Pollution measurements are also taken in the environment in which the child lives. With this information, researchers are able to gain a better understanding of how lung diseases develop and investigate preventive measures.
• SAPALDIA (Swiss study on Air Pollution and Lung Disease in adults), a cohort study in the Swiss population, studying the effects of air pollution on respiratory and cardiovascular health in adults. 
• EFRAIM, study of mechanisms of early protective exposures on allergy development.
• U-BIOPRED, study aiming for better understanding of severe asthma.
• Lung imaging MRI in infants and children study, in collaboration with Prof. O. Bieri (Radiology, USB) and Prof. P. Cattin (DBE)
• SPAC cohort (Swiss Paediatric Asthma Cohort)