How neutrophils affect the lung's air sacs
Neutrophil Responses Drive Diseases of the Alveolar Space
This project looks at how a type of immune cell called neutrophils causes damage in the air sacs of people with pneumonia or lung transplant complications.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11387530 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use samples taken during routine care—bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, lung tissue, and blood—from people with pneumonia and from donor and recipient lungs around the time of transplantation. They will compare neutrophils found in the blood versus those inside the lung air spaces and look at differences in cell markers and behavior, including molecules that help neutrophils stick and move. The team will link these neutrophil features to clinical outcomes like primary graft dysfunction after transplant and severity of pneumonia. Results aim to identify harmful neutrophil subtypes or pathways that could be targeted to protect lungs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people hospitalized with pneumonia or patients donating or receiving lungs for transplantation at the study sites.
Not a fit: People with lung problems that are not driven by neutrophilic inflammation or those not treated at participating centers are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or treat lung damage from pneumonia or after lung transplant by targeting harmful neutrophil actions.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have linked neutrophils to lung injury and preliminary data show neutrophil differences in blood versus lung, but translating these findings into proven therapies is still largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Misharin, Alexander — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Misharin, Alexander
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.