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Research St. Gallen / Zürich

Personalized medicine: An earlier asthma diagnosis could bring relief

Researchers from Empa and the University Children’s Hospital Zurich have launched a four‑year joint project to develop a non‑invasive diagnostic protocol for asthma in children as young as two years old. The protocol combines buccal DNA swabs with breath analysis via high‑resolution mass spectrometry, and employs machine‑learning models to identify asthma‑specific molecules and genetic variants. Successful completion could enable earlier treatment, reduce hospital admissions, and prevent unnecessary medication in non‑asthmatic children.

Published
17 Sept 2026
2 min read 1 source
Intelligence brief
St. Gallen / Zürich / Research
CH

Researchers from Empa and the University Children’s Hospital Zurich have launched a four‑year joint project to develop a non‑invasive diagnostic protocol for asthma in children as young as two years old. The protocol combines buccal DNA swabs with breath analysis via high‑resolution mass spectrometry, and employs machine‑learning models to identify asthma‑specific molecules and genetic variants. Successful completion could enable earlier treatment, reduce hospital admissions, and prevent unnecessary medication in non‑asthmatic children.

Why it matters

The project exemplifies Swiss AI’s role in precision medicine by applying machine‑learning techniques to multi‑omics data for early disease detection.

Primary source record
Swiss Federal Government

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