Burn injury sepsis: finding early immune clues and blocking harmful signals to save lives
Official title: Novel Burn Sepsis Prognostic Strategies: Deciphering Early Immune Progenitor Shifts in Burn Sepsis Development and Modulation of Host Burn Response through Angiopoietin-Tie Signaling
Funded at Loyola University Chicago · NIH-11384902 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-focused research effort to understand why severe burns lead to dangerous infections and sepsis and test ways to prevent it by studying the body's early immune shifts and a signaling pathway.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Loyola University Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Maywood, United States) |
| Project start | August 5, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $423,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM160273-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384902 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with severe burn injuries who are at risk for sepsis and related complications.
✕Less likely to help
Burn patients with minor burns or those not at risk of sepsis may not benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
This grant looks at adults with severe burn injuries to understand how their immune system changes in the first days after injury and how these changes relate to sepsis. Researchers will study early immune cell signals and Angel-2 related pathways to see if they predict who might develop sepsis. The team aims to uncover targets that could be modulated to reduce infection risk and improve survival after burns. The work will involve analyzing patient samples and testing ideas that could lead to new treatments in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to vaccines or therapies that reduce sepsis risk and improve survival for burn patients.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work has linked early immune progenitor shifts and Angpt-2 to later sepsis, suggesting a promising but still evolving approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Loyola University Chicago
Maywood, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kubasiak, John — Loyola University Chicago
- Study coordinator: Kubasiak, John
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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.