Finding different COPD types by looking at genes and body chemicals
Identifying Subtypes of COPD Using Metabolomic and Genomic Approaches
This project uses people's genetic information and measurements of small molecules in lung and blood to find different types of COPD that might help guide better care for people with COPD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11305983 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's viewpoint, researchers will combine inherited genetic data with measurements of metabolites, gene activity, and proteins taken from lung tissue and blood. They will use large genetic studies plus new metabolomics measurements on about 1,000 people from the Lung Tissue Research Consortium and apply machine learning to group related genetic changes. The team will link those groups to molecular profiles to define biologically distinct COPD subtypes. The aim is to connect genetic differences to measurable changes that could explain why COPD looks and behaves differently in different people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with COPD who can provide or have provided lung tissue or blood samples or who are enrolled in COPD cohorts or registries would be the best fit for this work.
Not a fit: People without COPD or whose disease is driven mainly by non-genetic factors may not see direct benefit from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help clinicians diagnose COPD subtypes more precisely and point to treatments tailored to each subtype.
How similar studies have performed: Prior genetic and metabolomics studies in lung disease have shown promise, but combining lung and blood metabolomics with large-scale genomics at this scale is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cho, Michael H. — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Cho, Michael H.
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.