Airway epithelial cell collection and culture

Core-001

NIH-funded research University of Washington · NIH-11327270

Collecting airway cells from children and adults with and without asthma so researchers can grow lab models to better understand different kinds of asthma.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Washington NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Seattle, United States)
Project IDNIH-11327270 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This core collects airway epithelial cells from children and adults at the time of elective surgery or, for adults, via induced sputum, and includes both people with asthma and healthy controls. Collected cells are expanded and grown in air–liquid interface organotypic cultures that mimic the airway lining for lab studies and co-culture experiments. The team classifies samples into T2-high and non-T2 asthma endotypes and links cell findings to each person's clinical data, with additional longitudinal follow-up for pediatric participants. Samples are also used for single-cell RNA sequencing to identify cell-type specific gene patterns that relate to asthma biology.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Children and adults scheduled for elective airway procedures or adults able to provide induced sputum who have asthma (T2-high or non-T2) or are healthy controls are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People who cannot undergo elective airway sampling, are medically unstable, or decline to provide airway samples or consent are unlikely to participate or receive direct benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: Could improve understanding of asthma subtypes and support development of more targeted treatments for children and adults with asthma.

How similar studies have performed: Airway brushing, air–liquid interface cultures, and single-cell RNA sequencing have been used successfully in prior asthma research to reveal epithelial differences, though combining pediatric longitudinal sampling with adult induced sputum is less common.

Where this research is happening

Seattle, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.