How genes affect COVID-19 lung damage
Genetic Investigation of Covid 19 in Lung Disease
This work uses new mouse models carrying the human ACE2 gene to pinpoint which lung cells and genes drive severe COVID-19 lung injury, aiming to help people with COVID-19-related respiratory failure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11158725 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team created mice that carry the human ACE2 entry protein in the same location and at similar levels as in people. By turning that human ACE2 gene on or off in specific lung cell types, researchers can see which cells are necessary or sufficient to cause severe lung disease after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The project combines infected animal models, cell studies, and comparisons with human patient data to connect cellular findings to human ARDS. The goal is to identify the cellular and genetic causes of COVID-19 lung failure so treatments can be more precisely targeted.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people who had severe COVID-19 or ARDS and who can provide clinical data or biological samples for comparison with the mouse models.
Not a fit: People without COVID-19 or whose illness did not affect the lungs are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal the specific lung cell types and genetic pathways that cause severe COVID-19, guiding new targeted treatments to prevent or lessen ARDS.
How similar studies have performed: Existing hACE2 mouse models either used non-physiologic transgenes or did not reproduce severe disease, so this conditional humanized ACE2 approach is relatively novel and designed to provide clearer causal evidence.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kahn, Mark L — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Kahn, Mark L
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.