About us – COVID-19 and PCD

Research team in the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Switzerland

Project leader: Claudia Kuehni

Claudia Kuehni is a Paediatric Pulmonologist and Professor at the ISPM Bern. She conducts research into causes, treatments, and prognosis of diseases in childhood, in particular respiratory diseases, rare diseases, and cancer.

Role: leads the project, has overall responsibility, guidance in epidemiology and paediatric pulmonology

Project coordinator: Eva Pedersen

Eva Pedersen is a researcher at the ISPM with a PhD in epidemiology. She has expertise in paediatric respiratory epidemiology and conduct of clinical and epidemiological studies.

Role: plans, conducts, and coordinates the study together with C. Kuehni, responsible for the management, analyses, and communication

PCD epidemiologist: Myrofora Goutaki

Myrofora Goutaki is Senior researcher at the ISPM Bern where she leads a project on ear, nose, and throat (ENT) problems in people with primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Role: collaborator and advisor (paediatric respiratory epidemiology and PCD studies).

PhD student: Eugenie Collaud

Eugenie Collaud is a PhD student at the ISPM Bern, where she does research on the clinical epidemiology of PCD.

Role: helps to set up and conduct the study. Analyses data, communicates results, answers questions.

Collaborators and advisors

PCD clinical researcher: Jane Lucas

Jane Lucas is a Professor of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine at University of Southampton. She leads the national PCD centre in Southampton and has particular expertise in PCD diagnostics.

Role: Collaborator and advisor (Paediatric Pulmonology, PCD diagnostics).

PCD specialist nurse: Amanda Harris

Amanda Harris is a nurse specialist at the Southampton Children’s Hospital. She has broad expertise in care of patients with PCD, and in research relevant for clinical practice and care.

Role: Collaborator and advisor (PCD specialist nursing, use-inspired research)

Clinical psychologist: Gisela Michel

Gisela Michel is a professor in Health Psychology at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. She is an expert in health psychology, patient-centered studies, questionnaire design and mixed methods studies.

Role: Collaborator and advisor (Clinical psychology and mixed methods)