Personalized Ventilation

Every year, millions of patients worldwide require respiratory support in the form of mechanical ventilation—one of the most frequent and impactful interventions in anesthesia and intensive care medicine. While lifesaving, it can harm the lungs and respiratory muscles. The continuum of ventilation, sedation, and weaning greatly impacts recovery and quality of life—prolonged ventilation and deep sedation often result in muscle weakness, dependence, and higher mortality. Conversely, tailored ventilation, careful sedation, and early spontaneous breathing support better outcomes. Our research aims to understand the mechanisms behind these processes to develop safer, more personalized treatments for ventilated patients.

The PV-Group—Personalized Ventilation Group— a translational research team, integrates experimental and clinical methodologies with technological innovation to advance respiratory care.

Our activities encompass:

• Experimental research to investigate the core mechanisms of ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), organ interactions, and the physiological impacts of spontaneous breathing and sedation;
• Clinical research to assess novel ventilation and sedation strategies within clinical practice settings;
• Artificial intelligence and predictive modeling to identify patients at risk, support clinical decision-making, and individualize ventilatory support;
• Development of medical technologies, such as advanced monitoring tools and devices that make ventilation and sedation safer and more precise. This includes rule-based and AI-driven open- and closed-loop systems that automatically adapt treatment to the patient’s needs.

Through the integration of these approaches, we aim to:

1. deepen the understanding of mechanical ventilation-related harm;
2. elucidate the physiology involved in transitioning from controlled to spontaneous ventilation and the subsequent weaning process;
3. develop personalized ventilation and sedation protocols that encourage spontaneous breathing;
4. prevent organ damage related to ventilation, particularly to the lungs and diaphragm;
5. and ultimately, facilitate early liberation from mechanical ventilation.