New stem cell model for research into a life-threatening malformation of the newborn lung

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a common condition, affecting one in every 2,500 births. Up to 30% of affected babies die from it. The main problem is underdeveloped lungs. The condition also involves a hole in the diaphragm, which pediatric surgeons surgically correct in the first week of life. Until now, there has been little medical knowledge about how CDH develops or about what exactly goes wrong during embryonic development.