From Pathogens to Ecosystems

Salus aegroti suprema lex - Das Wohl des Kranken sei höchstes Gesetz (Foto: Rüdiger Labahn / Universität zu Lübeck)

For decades, airway infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) have been understood as the consequence of individual pathogens. However, the discovery of the lung microbiome in healthy individuals has fundamentally reshaped this view, shifting the field toward an ecological perspective. Today, it is increasingly recognized that complex microbial communities—rather than single organisms—drive disease progression and influence therapeutic outcomes.

The inaugural lecture, “From Pathogens to Ecosystems: Rethinking Airway Infections in Cystic Fibrosis,” will introduce the concept of the airway microbiome and highlight recent insights into its role in CF. It will explore how the microbiome evolves over the course of the disease, how these dynamics influence inflammation and lung function, and how current treatments, including CFTR modulators, impact microbial balance. The lecture will conclude by outlining new perspectives for microbiome-based diagnostic and alternative therapeutic approaches. 

• Dr. rer. nat. Sébastien Boutin schließt mit der Antrittsvorlesung seine Habilitation an der Universität zu Lübeck im Fachgebiet Mikrobiologie ab.