Colorado Pulmonary-Alcohol Collaborative
CoPARC: Colorado Pulmonary-Alcohol Research Collaborative
This resource collects lung, blood, stool, and nasal samples from people who misuse alcohol, healthy volunteers, and hospitalized patients to help scientists learn why alcohol raises the risk of severe lung infections and ARDS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11377063 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, this program invites adults who drink heavily, healthy control volunteers, and people hospitalized with pneumonia or ARDS to provide biological samples and clinical data. Samples include bronchoalveolar lavage, bronchial brushings, blood, stool, nasal epithelial brushings, and tracheal aspirates, with some critically ill patients sampled over time. The collected specimens and linked clinical information are stored and shared with approved researchers studying alcohol-related lung injury, the gut–lung–brain axis, and dual substance-use effects. Enrollment happens at the University of Colorado Anschutz campus and affiliated hospitals, and some procedures (like bronchoscopy) are required for certain sample types.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults who currently misuse alcohol, healthy adults without alcohol misuse, or patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia or ARDS who can provide consent or allow sample collection.
Not a fit: People under 18, those unwilling or unable to provide required samples or undergo procedures like bronchoscopy, and individuals seeking immediate personal treatment are unlikely to gain direct clinical benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If maintained and used widely, this resource could speed discoveries that lead to better prevention, diagnosis, and treatments for pneumonia and ARDS linked to alcohol misuse.
How similar studies have performed: Previous biobanks and specimen repositories have helped reveal links between alcohol and pneumonia, while the inclusion of serial ICU samples and expanded specimen types in this resource is a more recent and valuable addition.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado Denver — Aurora, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Burnham, Ellen L — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Burnham, Ellen L
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 below.