From proteins and genes to new treatments for scar-related lung disease
Official title: From proteomics and genomics to therapeutics in systemic sclerosis interstitial lung disease
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11419892 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large NIH grant is working to map the proteins in the lungs of people with systemic sclerosis to find new targets for drugs that could slow or stop lung fibrosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $298,250 |
| NIH project number | 5P50AR080612-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11419892 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with systemic sclerosis who have or are at risk for interstitial lung disease may benefit from future trials targeting identified pathways.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without systemic sclerosis–related lung disease or those not connected to this specific research pathway may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a detailed map of the lung proteome in systemic sclerosis–related interstitial lung disease to identify druggable targets. Using advanced technologies, researchers will quantify the lung’s protein makeup and compare it with known pathways, such as SMAD3/TGF-beta, to understand fibrosis drivers. The ultimate goal is to translate these findings into new therapies that could halt or reverse lung damage in patients with SSc-ILD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could reveal new drug targets and pave the way for treatments that better slow or stop lung fibrosis in systemic sclerosis.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows that proteomic approaches can reveal fibrosis-related targets, with some therapeutic candidates entering early development.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eickelberg, Oliver — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Eickelberg, Oliver
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how a cell protein (SLC9A1) drives skin and lung scarring in systemic sclerosis
A five-year NIH grant aims to understand how a specific cell protein called SLC9A1 influences scar-forming cells in systemic sclerosis and related lung disease, with the goal of finding possible therapies.
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Vasculopathy in Systemic Sclerosis and Lung Disease in Adults
A study in adults with systemic sclerosis will look at how blood vessels in the lungs and body relate to the development of lung disease, with the aim of finding new ways to prevent it.
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Functional markers to guide treatment in systemic sclerosis–related lung disease
A research grant at USC is studying blood biomarkers that show whether medicines are helping people with systemic sclerosis–related interstitial lung disease.
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Systemic sclerosis-related lung disease: who’s at risk and what blood markers hint at it
A dedicated research grant asks how to identify which people with systemic sclerosis will develop interstitial lung disease and which blood biomarkers can signal that risk.
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New treatments for lung scarring in systemic sclerosis
This project looks for new drug targets and therapies to help people with systemic sclerosis who have scarring in their lungs.
-
How immune cells drive lung scarring in systemic sclerosis
Learning how immune signals cause lung scarring in people with systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease using patient lung tissue to point to better treatments.
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.