Airborne blue‑green algae toxins and how they can harm the lungs
Atmospheric transformation of harmful cyanobacterial algae and novel mechanisms of pulmonary toxicity
This project looks at whether toxins from freshwater algal blooms change in the air and can cause short-term lung and immune problems for people exposed nearby.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Carolina at Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11174548 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will recreate how cyanobacterial bloom material ages in the atmosphere, including effects of sunlight and interactions with organic matter, to see what airborne forms of the toxins look like. They will expose lung cells and animal models to those aged aerosols to look for breathing, immune, and tissue changes over days to weeks. The team focuses on inhalation as a route of exposure because people near blooms sometimes report coughing and other respiratory symptoms. The work aims to link real-world air transformations of bloom material to potential subacute lung effects.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who live, work, or recreate near freshwater cyanobacterial blooms—especially those who recently developed new cough or breathing problems after being near a bloom—would be most relevant.
Not a fit: People with no exposure to freshwater algal blooms or whose respiratory problems are clearly caused by other conditions would be unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve how we warn and protect people from breathing hazards during harmful algal blooms and guide treatments for related lung symptoms.
How similar studies have performed: Human inhalation work is limited, but animal and cell studies have shown immune and non‑classic lung changes, so the approach builds on preliminary lab evidence but is still relatively novel for human exposure scenarios.
Where this research is happening
Columbia, United States
- University of South Carolina at Columbia — Columbia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sabo-Attwood, Tara L — University of South Carolina at Columbia
- Study coordinator: Sabo-Attwood, Tara L
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.