How Airway Cells Manage Signals for Better Breathing
Official title: Compartmentalized signaling and crosstalk in airway myocytes
Funded at University of South Alabama · NIH-11142412 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how cells in your airways organize their internal signals to help your breathing muscles work their best.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Alabama NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Mobile, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $554,585 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL169522-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11142412 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research does not directly involve patient participation at this stage, but future clinical applications may benefit individuals with airway diseases.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate treatment options or direct clinical intervention will not find direct benefit from this basic science project.
What this research studies
Our airways contain tiny muscle cells that need to work just right for us to breathe easily. This project explores how these muscle cells manage their internal communication signals, making sure each signal goes to the correct place at the right time. We are using advanced imaging techniques to observe how different signals are organized within these cells. By understanding this precise organization, we hope to learn how these signals affect important cell functions like muscle contraction and movement. This knowledge could help us understand conditions where airway muscles don't function properly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this basic understanding could lead to new ways to treat conditions where airway muscles don't function correctly, such as asthma or COPD.
How similar studies have gone: This project builds on recent findings by the investigative team, suggesting a foundation of prior work in this area, but the specific mechanisms being explored are novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of South Alabama
Mobile, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rich, Thomas C — University of South Alabama
- Study coordinator: Rich, Thomas C
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.