Asporin as a double-targeted therapy and biomarker for a serious artery disease
Official title: Asporin as a dual-pathway therapeutic target and biomarker for pulmonary arterial hypertension
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11450594 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests a protein called asporin as both a treatment and a biomarker for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to help people with this life-threatening condition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | August 6, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $723,400 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL183171-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11450594 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with pulmonary arterial hypertension, especially those at high risk, may be eligible to participate in biomarker studies or related translational work.
✕Less likely to help
Some PAH patients may not directly benefit if their disease is driven by mechanisms not addressed by asporin-related pathways.
What this research studies
PAH is a dangerous disease where blood vessels in the lungs remodel and strain the heart. The researchers focus on asporin, a protein that interacts with TGF-β and EGFR signaling to potentially slow vessel remodeling and support heart function. They will analyze human PAH samples and use animal models to understand how altering asporin levels affects blood vessel changes and the heart. The goal is to develop a therapy approach that targets these pathways and to validate asporin as a biomarker for prognosis and treatment response.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with PAH could receive more precise therapies and have better prognosis through a biomarker-guided approach.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows asporin can regulate TGF-β and EGFR signaling and affect disease in animal and human studies, supporting potential benefit.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hong, Jason — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Hong, Jason
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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.