Frans J. Walther, MD, PhD

Dr. Walther leads a multi-dimensional research project aimed at developing a synthetic lung surfactant to treat breathing problems in preterm infants with surfactant-deficiency and lung immaturity (respiratory distress syndrome, RDS) and in children and adults with surfactant insufficiency caused by viral pneumonia or chemical lung injury (acute respiratory distress syndrome, ARDS).

His research is an essential element of the rescue treatment for infants, children and adults in respiratory distress. Dr. Walther’s lab seeks to design, synthesize, and bring effective lung surfactant peptides, modeled after the sequence of human surfactant proteins B and C (SP-B and SP-C) to clinical care. Additionally, he is working with the Gates Foundation towards developing an advanced lung surfactant preparation for aerosol delivery that would eliminate the need for tracheal intubation.

Dr. Frans Walther earned his medical degree from Leiden University (1972) and his PhD from Maastricht University (1982), both in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Recent and significant publication(s) of his include:

Walther FJ, Waring AJ. Moving on from clinical animal-derived surfactants to peptide-based synthetic pulmonary surfactant. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2024 Dec 1; 327(6):L883-L889. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00186.2024.  

Waring AJ, Jung GC, Sharma SK, Walther FJ. Lung Surfactant Protein B Peptide Mimics Interact with the Human ACE2 Receptor. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jun 29;24(13):10837. doi: 10.3390/ijms241310837.  

Walther FJ, Waring AJ, Otieno M, DiBlasi RM. Efficacy, dose-response, and aerosol delivery of dry powder synthetic lung surfactant treatment in surfactant-deficient rabbits and premature lambs. Respir Res. 2022 Apr 4;23(1):78. doi: 10.1186/s12931-022-02007-8.  

Walther FJ, Chan H, Smith JR, Tauber M, Waring AJ. Aerosol, chemical and physical properties of dry powder synthetic lung surfactant for noninvasive treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. Sci Rep. 2021 Aug 12;11(1):16439. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-95999-0.  

Walther FJ, Gupta M, Lipp MM, Chan H, Krzewick J, Gordon LM, Waring AJ. Aerosol delivery of dry powder synthetic lung surfactant to surfactant-deficient rabbits and preterm lambs on non-invasive respiratory support. Gates Open Res. 2019 Mar 14;3:6. doi: 10.12688/gatesopenres.12899.2.