How lungs calm down after air-pollution inflammation in people with and without asthma
Molecular Mechanisms for Resolving Air Pollution Induced Pulmonary Inflammation: Potential Differences by Asthma and Sex (RAPIDAS)
This project sees if tiny particle air pollution (PM2.5) interferes with the lungs' natural inflammation-healing signals in adults, and whether people with asthma or men and women differ.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11128687 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be recruited through an air-pollution health panel and asked to provide biological samples and exposure information. Researchers will measure specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) and markers of airway inflammation in those samples. They will compare people who have asthma to those who do not and compare men and women to look for differences in how inflammation resolves. The study links real-world pollution exposure with lab measurements to understand why some people stay inflamed longer after pollution.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older, including people with and without asthma who live in areas exposed to fine particulate air pollution and can provide biological samples and exposure information.
Not a fit: This project likely won't apply to children under 21, people not exposed to PM2.5, or those seeking an immediate new treatment because it focuses on biological mechanisms rather than testing therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could explain why some people, especially those with asthma or certain sexes, have prolonged pollution-related lung inflammation and point to new prevention or treatment ideas.
How similar studies have performed: Many studies show air pollution increases inflammation, but very few human studies have measured the specific pro-resolving molecules, so this human-focused approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Junfeng — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Junfeng
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.