Airway basal cell stress and environmentally caused bronchiolitis obliterans
Official title: Airway Basal Cell Stress in Environmentally-Induced Bronchiolitis Obliterans
Funded at University of Rochester · NIH-11418446 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how certain inhaled chemicals may damage the airway’s foundational cells and lead to a serious lung disease called bronchiolitis obliterans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $717,312 |
| NIH project number | 5R01ES037260-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11418446 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with or at risk for airway exposure to inhaled chemicals like diacetyl who may have or be at risk for small-airway disease.
✕Less likely to help
People without exposure to the studied inhalants or without airway basal cell disruption may not directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
Bronchiolitis obliterans is a lung disease affecting the small airways, linked to environmental inhalation exposures. This project focuses on chemicals like diacetyl and related compounds that people may encounter in foods or the environment. It investigates how these chemicals harm airway basal cells, the stem-like cells that maintain the airway lining, and how that damage triggers cellular stress pathways and disrupts connections to the basement membrane. By studying both human airway cells and animal models, the team aims to uncover shared mechanisms that could explain environmentally induced BO. The goal is to identify targets that could prevent or mitigate disease after inhalational exposure.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to ways to prevent BO in people exposed to certain environmental chemicals or to develop strategies to protect or restore the airway’s regenerative basal cells.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical models have shown dose-dependent airway damage from these chemicals, with evidence supporting basal cell involvement, but the exact human mechanisms require further validation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcgraw, Matthew Daniel — University of Rochester
- Study coordinator: Mcgraw, Matthew Daniel
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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.