Airway lining and immune cell interactions in severe asthma
Project 2
Looks at how airway lining cells and certain immune cells cause two different kinds of severe asthma in people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11330465 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work examines airway lining (bronchial epithelial) cells from people with severe asthma and separates them into two molecular types: an innate epithelial-driven type and an immune-interactive type involving CD8 T cells. Researchers will study gene activity, wound-repair behavior, and cell death pathways using patient-derived airway samples and lab-grown epithelial cells. They will link these molecular patterns to immune cell signatures, especially CD8 T-cell interactions, using laboratory models and bioinformatics. The aim is to explain poor epithelial repair and how these different pathways relate to disease severity and treatment responses.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with severe or difficult-to-control asthma who can provide airway samples (sputum or bronchoscopy specimens) or attend clinic visits are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with mild asthma, unrelated lung diseases, or those unwilling to provide airway samples or travel to the study site are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help match people with severe asthma to treatments that target either epithelial dysfunction or immune/CD8-driven inflammation.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work has shown epithelial repair defects and distinct immune-linked asthma patterns, but the specific split into innate epithelial versus CD8-interactive molecular types is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wenzel, Sally E — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Wenzel, Sally E
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.