Airway microbes and viral infections in children with tracheostomies
Viral respiratory infections in a tracheostomy cohort: Microbiome-host interplay
This project looks at how airway germs and the body's response during viral infections affect illness in children who have tracheostomies and use home ventilation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11141181 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a group of children with tracheostomies who are followed during viral respiratory illnesses and provide airway samples over time. Researchers will use detailed genetic and RNA methods (metatranscriptomics) to see which microbes are active and how airway cells respond during infection. They will link those patterns to how sick children become and to antibiotic use to determine whether bacterial overgrowths mean true infection. The study aims to find day-by-day airway ecosystem changes that could guide more precise treatments for these high-risk children.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children with a tracheostomy who receive home ventilation and are at risk for viral respiratory infections are the intended participants.
Not a fit: Children without a tracheostomy, adults, or those with illnesses unrelated to airway microbiome dynamics are unlikely to benefit directly from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to better-targeted treatments and clearer guidance about when antibiotics are helpful, potentially reducing hospitalizations and deaths.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work has shown links between airway bacterial dominance and worse viral infections, but applying metatranscriptomic profiling in a tracheostomy pediatric cohort is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston Children's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mansbach, Jonathan M — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Mansbach, Jonathan M
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.