How alcohol affects the body's internal clock and lung healing
Alcohol-mediated Clock genes interfere with lung injury and repair
This project looks at how long-term alcohol use changes internal clock genes and small RNAs in the lung, making recovery from severe breathing problems like ARDS harder.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11332411 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my point of view as a patient, researchers are studying how chronic alcohol use disrupts circadian “clock” genes in the lung and how that disruption leads to scarring and poor recovery after severe lung injury. They will combine lab experiments on cells and tissues with analyses of molecular signals (like BMAL1, RORα, and specific microRNAs) that control inflammation and repair. The team plans to trace how alcohol-driven changes increase TGFβ1 activity, a key driver of fibrosis, and to test whether fixing the clock-gene pathways can improve repair. Their goal is to find molecular targets that could eventually be used to prevent or treat alcohol-related worsening of ARDS.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with a history of chronic heavy alcohol use who have experienced or are at risk for acute lung injury or ARDS would be most relevant to this research.
Not a fit: People without significant alcohol exposure or those with chronic lung diseases unrelated to ARDS are less likely to see direct benefit from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or reduce lung scarring and improve recovery for people with alcohol-related ARDS.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked alcohol to disrupted circadian signaling and worse lung outcomes, but targeting the specific circ-RORα–microRNA pathways described here is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sueblinvong, Viranuj — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Sueblinvong, Viranuj
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.