How loss of lung progenitor cells speeds up lung aging
Official title: Loss of progenitor function accelerates lung aging
Funded at National Jewish Health · NIH-11381699 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether losing certain lung progenitor cells and their immune signals causes faster lung aging and emphysema in adults, including people with COPD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Jewish Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Denver, United States) |
| Project start | June 15, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $685,103 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG073317-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381699 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults, especially older adults or people with COPD, who can provide blood and/or lung samples and attend clinic visits at study sites.
✕Less likely to help
Children and people without lung disease who are unwilling or unable to provide samples or undergo clinic procedures are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers will compare lung and blood samples from people and laboratory mice to see which cells decline with age. They will use single-cell RNA sequencing to map cell types, measure inflammatory signals in blood and lung fluid, and study what happens when progenitor cells are reduced in mice. The team will also examine how interactions between vessel-supporting stem cells and a type of immune cell (ILC2) change with age and relate to emphysema. Findings will link human sample data with animal experiments to identify cell types and pathways that drive lung aging.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new cell targets or pathways to slow or prevent emphysema and age-related loss of lung function.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies support that losing these progenitor cells accelerates emphysema, but translating those findings into human treatments is still new and unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
National Jewish Health
Denver, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Majka, Susan M — National Jewish Health
- Study coordinator: Majka, Susan M
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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.