Early lung cell aging in Down syndrome
Official title: Cellular Senescence in Trisomy 21 lung disease
Funded at Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center · NIH-11181171 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will find out how aged lung cells and immune signals contribute to breathing and lung problems in people with Down syndrome, especially infants and children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Torrance, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $610,424 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL171915-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11181171 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would include newborns, children, and adults with Down syndrome (or their parents) willing to provide clinical information, airway or blood samples, or to participate in observational studies.
✕Less likely to help
People without Down syndrome or those whose lung problems are only due to acute infections or unrelated structural airway defects may not receive direct benefit from this work.
What this research studies
As a patient or family member, I would understand that the team will examine lung cells and tissues from people with Down syndrome and use laboratory models to look for signs of early cell aging (senescence). They will measure DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the inflammatory factors (SASP) that senescent cells release, and study how type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling influences these processes. The researchers are focusing on perinatal and early childhood timepoints to learn which factors present at birth or soon after might drive lifelong lung problems. Lab work may include cellular analyses and model systems to test whether clearing senescent cells or blocking IFN-I changes lung inflammation or scarring.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to reduce inflammation and scarring in the lungs of people with Down syndrome and improve breathing and long-term lung health.
How similar studies have gone: Work in other aging and lung diseases supports a role for senescent cells and IFN-I signaling, but applying these ideas specifically to Down syndrome lung disease is largely new.
Where this research is happening
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Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Torrance, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Al Alam, Denise — Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Al Alam, Denise
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.