NIH-funded research Career grant

Alternative pathobiology in severe asthma affects more than just the classic allergic pathway

Official title: An Alternative Pathobiology underlying Severe Asthma

Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11377239 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award aims to understand a non-traditional pathway (T1 inflammation) that may drive severe asthma in patients who don’t respond to standard therapies.

More Asthma research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeCareer grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Pittsburgh, United States)
Project startJuly 1, 2023
Project endJune 30, 2028
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$163,188
NIH project number5K08HL164887-04
Project IDNIH-11377239 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Adults with asthma who exhibit severe disease and potentially non-T2 inflammatory features may be eligible for related future studies.

Less likely to help

Patients with well-controlled asthma or those strictly responsive to current Type-2 therapies may have limited direct benefit.

What this research studies

A Pittsburgh physician-scientist is seeking mentored training in mouse lab and bioinformatics to move from basic work to translational asthma research. The project focuses on Type-1 inflammation and its role in asthma severity, including markers like IFN-γ, CXCL10, and CCL5, and tissue-resident memory T cells. By moving beyond bronchoscopy-only samples, the research intends to study how this pathway affects patients over time and could identify new therapeutic targets. The grant supports a career development path to equip the investigator with skills to translate bench findings into treatments for people with severe asthma.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new treatments for patients with asthma who do not respond to existing Type-2–focused therapies.

How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that exploring non-T2 inflammatory pathways can reveal novel targets, though the specific T1/TRM focus in humans is still emerging.

Where this research is happening

  • University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
    Pittsburgh, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Gauthier, Marc — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
  • Study coordinator: Gauthier, Marc

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

  • Neutrophils' role in severe asthma

    This project looks at how certain white blood cells called neutrophils drive severe asthma in people who do not respond to current treatments.

    NIH research Northwestern University · Chicago, United States · NIH-11387532

  • Nebulized STAT3 inhibitor for severe asthma in adults and children

    A new inhaled therapy aims to calm overactive airway inflammation in people with severe asthma by delivering a STAT3-inhibiting compound directly to lung cells.

    NIH research Mercer University Macon · Macon, United States · NIH-11361259

  • Understanding how LIGHT affects severe asthma and airway remodeling

    Scientists are studying how a molecule called LIGHT drives severe asthma by promoting dangerous changes in the airways, with the goal of finding new ways to help people who don’t respond to current treatments.

    NIH research Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr · Cincinnati, United States · NIH-11360603

  • How airway lining cells and immune cells drive severe steroid-resistant asthma

    This project looks at how immune cells and the cells that line the airways interact in people whose severe asthma does not respond to corticosteroids, to find clearer markers and better treatment options.

    NIH research University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, United States · NIH-11330457

  • Immune and cell‑aging changes in steroid‑resistant severe asthma

    This project looks at immune system changes and early cell aging in people whose severe asthma doesn't improve with steroid treatment to find new treatment ideas.

    NIH research University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, United States · NIH-11292422

  • Airway inflammation and scarring in severe asthma

    This project looks at what causes the airways to thicken and scar in people with severe asthma to help find better treatments.

    NIH research University of California, San Diego · La Jolla, United States · NIH-11134396

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.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 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.