Airway protection gone wrong in COPD
Official title: Mechanisms driving airway inflammation in chronic lung disease
Funded at Veterans Health Administration · NIH-11610658 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A long-running NIH project is exploring how defects in the small airways’ immune protection contribute to COPD progression and lung damage.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Health Administration NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2014 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2027 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX002378-11 |
| Project ID | NIH-11610658 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with COPD or at risk due to small airway disease, particularly those with mucus and infection-related airway issues.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without COPD or significant small airway disease may have limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This grant studies how reduced production of protective secretions in the tiny airways leads to ongoing immune activation and worsening COPD. Researchers use mouse models with deficient pIgR to mirror human COPD features like bacterial invasion and airway remodeling. The work connects early mucosal problems to later parenchymal destruction, aiming to map the steps from initial defense failure to full-blown disease. Findings could identify new targets to break the cycle of inflammation and decline.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could reveal new points to prevent COPD progression and preserve lung function.
How similar studies have gone: Previous COPD research using similar immune-defect models has shown progressive lung changes, supporting this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Veterans Health Administration
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Blackwell, Timothy S. — Veterans Health Administration
- Study coordinator: Blackwell, Timothy S.
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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.