Dietary DHA to reduce ozone-related lung inflammation
Official title: Dietary DHA mitigates ozone induced pulmonary inflammation
Funded at Ohio State University · NIH-11464926 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in mice and humans explores whether consuming DHA, a healthy fat, can lessen lung inflammation caused by ozone exposure, with a focus on people who are overweight or obese.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 9, 2020 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $792,023 |
| NIH project number | 2R01ES031378-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11464926 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals who have exposure to air pollution or are at risk for ozone-related lung inflammation, including those with obesity or poor dietary DHA intake.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals with minimal ozone exposure or those unable to safely alter their diet may see no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This grant investigates how increasing dietary DHA affects lung inflammation from ozone exposure, including mechanisms like maresin 1 production and reduced pro-inflammatory fatty acids. The research includes animal models and references early human data showing DHA can lower harmful lipid levels in blood, with a goal of translating findings to people at higher risk. The team will examine how DHA changes alveolar macrophage behavior to promote cleanup of damaged lung cells and improve recovery after exposure. Results could guide dietary recommendations or interventions to protect vulnerable individuals from air pollution effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lead to dietary strategies that reduce lung inflammation and injury from ozone, improving respiratory health in at-risk populations.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in animals and limited human data suggest DHA can modulate inflammatory pathways and lipid mediators, supporting potential benefit but requiring further validation.
Where this research is happening
-
Ohio State University
Columbus, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gowdy, Kymberly Mae — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Gowdy, Kymberly Mae
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how trinucleotide repeat expansions cause disease
A research project at Ohio State University is exploring how tiny DNA repeats become unstable and drive neurological and muscular diseases, with potential implications for future therapies.
-
Pediatric Prehospital Airway Resuscitation for Critically Ill Children
This grant tests the best way for paramedics to manage breathing tubes and other airways in seriously ill children before they reach the hospital.
-
From Social Breakups to Brain Changes in Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias
This grant explores how losing social connections may trigger brain changes and inflammation linked to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
-
Understanding why patients with blood cancers start and stick with oral cancer medicines
A study to learn what helps or hinders Black patients with blood cancers in starting and continuing their prescribed oral cancer medicines.
-
How sex and hormones affect alcohol's impact on sleep in adults
This study tests how sex and hormone changes influence how alcohol disrupts sleep in healthy adults, with a focus on women aged 21-45.
-
Natural products to block IL-8 signaling and prevent Barrett's Esophagus from turning into esophageal cancer
A搜索-friendly plan to use safe natural compounds to interrupt a key inflammatory signal (IL-8) and stop Barrett’s esophagus from turning into esophageal cancer in people with GERD.
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.