Alveolar surface protection in women with ARDS
Official title: Alveolar epithelial glycocalyx resilience in women during ARDS
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11387458 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests how female biology affects lung lining protection in severe lung failure (ARDS) to guide more targeted therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 21, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $725,444 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL179324-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11387458 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with ARDS or those at risk due to severe lung injury, particularly women, may be eligible for future studies or subsequent trials.
✕Less likely to help
Most patients with ARDS unrelated to the study’s specific mechanisms or who are not eligible due to safety criteria may not benefit.
What this research studies
In ARDS, the lung’s protective surface layer can break down, leading to worsened breathing. This project focuses on how sex differences influence this process, especially in women, by studying lung fluid and donor lung tissue to understand glycocalyx resilience. Researchers will analyze samples from patients on mechanical ventilation and compare them with healthy controls to identify protective factors like SLPI. The aim is to move toward precision treatments that consider a patient’s sex and specific lung injury mechanisms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to sex-informed strategies to preserve lung lining and improve outcomes for patients with ARDS.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data suggest sex differences in ARDS biology; this study builds on those findings to translate them into targeted approaches.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schmidt, Eric Peter — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Schmidt, Eric Peter
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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.