How air pollution harms heart and lung inflammation
Air pollution disrupts Inflammasome Regulation in HEart And Lung Total Health (AIRHEALTH)
This work looks at how traffic and wildfire pollution trigger inflammatory signals like IL‑1β in lungs and the heart, which matters for people with asthma or heart disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11169783 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project studies how tiny particles from car exhaust and wildfires activate inflammatory pathways such as IL‑1β that can damage lung and heart tissue. Researchers will combine blood and tissue biomarker work with lab experiments in cells/animals and computer-based systems biology to map the key steps in that response. The team plans to use human biomarker samples alongside unbiased molecular analyses to find points where existing drugs or new therapies could block harmful inflammation. If you live in polluted areas or have asthma or heart disease, their findings could point to treatments or public-health steps that reduce your risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People exposed to high air pollution—including children, adolescents, people with asthma, or those with cardiovascular disease—would be the most relevant candidates for participation or future therapies.
Not a fit: People without significant pollution exposure or without cardiopulmonary conditions are less likely to benefit directly from these findings in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to treatments (for example drugs that block IL‑1β) or policy actions that lower pollution-related lung and heart harm.
How similar studies have performed: Prior clinical work targeting IL‑1β has reduced certain types of heart inflammation, but applying that approach specifically to pollution-triggered disease is still emerging.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johnson, Mary — Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health
- Study coordinator: Johnson, Mary
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.