How lung cells change in early and worsening pulmonary fibrosis
Project 4: Defining the Molecular Natural History of Early and Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis
Researchers will map how specific lung cells and their local neighborhoods change over time in people at risk for or with pulmonary fibrosis using advanced tissue-based gene mapping.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193835 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I join, researchers will analyze small lung biopsy samples collected during bronchoscopies and preserved in routine pathology blocks using spatial transcriptomics and single-cell gene mapping. They will compare samples from people with family risk for pulmonary fibrosis, declined donor lungs, and late-stage cases to find which cell types and molecular neighborhoods change first. The team uses archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded transbronchial biopsy tissue plus new samples to localize molecular and cellular dysregulation in the earliest phases of disease. The goal is to pinpoint where and when scarring processes begin so future tests or treatments can target those early changes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with a family history of pulmonary fibrosis or early imaging/biopsy signs of fibrosis who can provide or undergo transbronchial biopsy tissue collection are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without pulmonary fibrosis or those unwilling or unable to provide biopsy samples are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could identify early molecular signs and locations of lung scarring that enable earlier diagnosis or development of treatments that target the disease sooner.
How similar studies have performed: Single-cell and spatial transcriptomic studies have revealed new cell types and disease niches in advanced pulmonary fibrosis, but applying these methods to early, biopsy-based samples is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Banovich, Nicholas Eli — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Banovich, Nicholas Eli
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.