How childhood lung health affects breathing problems up to age 45
Early Origins of Chronic Lung Disease: From Birth to Age 45 Years
This project follows people from birth to age 45 to find early-life patterns and biomarkers that predict asthma, COPD, and other long-term lung problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11068109 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part, researchers use long-term lung function tests and biological samples collected from childhood through midlife to look for patterns linked to asthma, COPD, and PRISm. The team studies molecules in blood and sputum, including antiproteases and a protein called PTX2, and tracks growth patterns such as early excessive weight gain. They also examine airway size versus lung volume (dysanapsis) to understand structural risk factors. The goal is to link early-life events and markers to different lung health trajectories so future care can target prevention.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people who were or can be followed from birth in the Tucson Children’s Respiratory Study or similar long-term birth cohorts with childhood lung measurements and the ability to provide follow-up data.
Not a fit: People without childhood lung data or those seeking immediate clinical treatment for a current lung problem are unlikely to receive direct medical benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify children at higher risk for long-term lung disease and point to new prevention or treatment strategies to protect lung function across life.
How similar studies have performed: Previous long-term birth cohort studies have linked early-life lung function to adult asthma and COPD, and this project builds on those findings while exploring new molecular pathways like antiproteases and PTX2.
Where this research is happening
Tucson, United States
- University of Arizona — Tucson, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Martinez, Fernando D — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Martinez, Fernando D
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.