Coupling bioengineered and computer models to study thyroid health and chemical risk
Official title: Project 2 - Coupling Bioengineered and Computational Models of Thyroid Homeostasis to Support Human PCDD/F Risk-Assessment
Funded at Michigan State University · NIH-11394778 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A project is building human-relevant models to understand how certain environmental chemicals may disrupt thyroid hormones and affect health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Michigan State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (East Lansing, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 1997 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $239,043 |
| NIH project number | 5P42ES004911-31 |
| Project ID | NIH-11394778 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to direct patient participation; the study informs risk assessment that could benefit people exposed to these chemicals.
✕Less likely to help
Direct clinical benefits to individual patients are not anticipated in this project.
What this research studies
This work combines lab-grown thyroid and liver cell systems with computer simulations to link molecular changes from chemical exposure to potential health effects in people. It aims to create a reliable way to predict how pollutants like dioxins alter thyroid function and hormone balance in humans. By bridging experiments in human-derived cells with population-level risk insights, the project seeks to improve our understanding of thyroid-related diseases and developmental outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve how we assess chemical risks to thyroid health and help prevent developmental and metabolic problems.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that integrating lab data with models can improve risk predictions, but this project advances human-based screening and modeling.
Where this research is happening
-
Michigan State University
East Lansing, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johnson, Brian P. — Michigan State University
- Study coordinator: Johnson, Brian P.
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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.