How early breathing changes can lead to chronic lung disease
Transitions from Impaired Respiratory Health to Lung Disease
This work looks for early signs in adults—from scans, breathing tests, and blood markers—that predict future serious lung problems so prevention can start sooner.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11044574 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are using decades of follow-up from the CARDIA cohort to find early lung changes on CT scans, repeated lung function tests, and blood proteins that come before symptomatic disease. They compare imaging, physiological, and molecular data over time to spot patterns that precede respiratory viral illness, pneumonia, or worsening of chronic lung conditions. The team focuses on people who were followed from young adulthood into middle and older age to learn what predicts later problems. If I share my health data or samples, those results could help find ways to prevent or slow lung disease for others.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with long-term follow-up data or participants in cohorts like CARDIA, especially those with early breathing symptoms, a smoking history, or available CT and lung function records.
Not a fit: People with long-standing, advanced lung disease may not see direct benefit from findings aimed at early prediction and prevention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work may allow earlier identification of people at risk for COPD, pneumonia, or exacerbations so doctors can offer prevention sooner.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have linked imaging and blood markers to exacerbations in older smokers, but applying these signals to younger, general-population groups is more recent and less established.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kalhan, Ravi — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Kalhan, Ravi
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.