How lifetime exposures and gut/liver signals affect lung infections
The Exposome and Lung Bacterial Infection: Role of Liver and Gut-derived Extracellular Vesicles
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER · NIH-11261145
This project looks at whether lifetime exposures like alcohol, smoking, and tiny particles from the gut and liver change how bacterial lung infections happen in people who misuse alcohol.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (OMAHA, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11261145 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you take part, researchers will study how alcohol, smoking, poor nutrition and other lifetime exposures change your lung's defenses against bacteria. They'll collect samples and study tiny particles released by the liver and gut, called extracellular vesicles, to see if these travel to the lungs and affect cells such as cilia and surfactant. The team will combine lab experiments and animal models with samples from people with alcohol use disorder to connect real-world exposures to infection risk. The goal is to identify who is most at risk and suggest ways to prevent or better treat pneumonia.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with alcohol use disorder, particularly those who also smoke or have chronic lung disease like COPD, would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: People without a history of alcohol misuse or those whose lung problems are purely viral rather than bacterial may be less likely to benefit directly from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify people at higher risk for pneumonia and point to new prevention or treatment strategies for those who misuse alcohol.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown alcohol damages cilia and surfactant, but applying an exposome approach and studying liver/gut extracellular vesicles in lung infection is a newer direction with limited prior clinical results.
Where this research is happening
OMAHA, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER — OMAHA, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: WYATT, TODD A — UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER
- Study coordinator: WYATT, TODD A
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.
Conditions: Bacterial Infections