How lung cell and tissue interactions cause scarring in interstitial lung disease
Official title: Cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions driving progressive fibrosis in interstitial lung diseases
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11178483 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how injured lung lining cells talk with nearby cells and the surrounding tissue to cause scarring in people with interstitial lung disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $794,976 |
| NIH project number | 5U01HL175451-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11178483 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with interstitial lung disease, especially those with interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) or early-stage symptoms, would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with very advanced, end-stage pulmonary fibrosis where most epithelial cells are lost, or people without ILD, are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
As someone living with or at risk for ILD, this project explains how injured airway lining cells signal to nearby support cells and alter the tissue around them, leading to progressive scarring. Researchers will study very early lung lesions called interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA), early symptomatic ILD tissue, and later regions that still contain epithelial cells using patient-derived samples. They will combine spatial transcriptomics, single-cell protein secretion analysis, small-region proteomics, and a 3D scaffolded lung cell co-culture model that mimics progressive fibrosis. The work aims to map the cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix conversations that start and sustain fibrosis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify early drivers of lung scarring and point to ways to stop or slow fibrosis before severe lung damage occurs.
How similar studies have gone: Most prior studies focused on end-stage fibrotic lungs, so combining early human lesion samples with 3D models and spatial molecular tools is relatively new though supported by emerging technologies.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gomperts, Brigitte N — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Gomperts, Brigitte N
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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How lung cells and their surroundings drive fibrosis in interstitial lung diseases
A study to understand how airway cells, surrounding tissue, and their environment contribute to progressive scarring in interstitial lung diseases.
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This study is looking at how certain proteins in your body might help us understand the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and similar lung diseases, so we can find better treatments tailored just for you.
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Understanding how cell interactions contribute to lung disease fibrosis
This study is looking at how different cells in the lungs work together to cause scarring in interstitial lung diseases, especially in the early stages, to help find new ways to treat the condition.
-
Quantitative Ultrasound for Lung Diseases in People
A new ultrasound approach to measure how bad heart- or fibrosis-related lung problems are, using real-time, noninvasive imaging in people.
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.