How skin and airway cells affect childhood allergies
Epithelial Genes in Allergic Inflammation
This project looks at how genes in skin and airway cells shape allergic diseases in children so doctors can understand why eczema, asthma, and other allergies often happen together.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cincinnati, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11103181 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a parent's perspective, researchers are following young children—especially those with early eczema—over time in a U.S. cohort (MPAACH) and collecting skin, airway, and other samples to study epithelial gene activity. Lab work and molecular analyses compare children with different allergy combinations and track who develops asthma or other allergic conditions. The team studies specific epithelial pathways, including antiproteases and autocrine signals, to see which changes drive inflammation and disease progression. Their approach combines human samples, genetic and molecular tests, and laboratory models to update the idea of the "atopic march" and reflect the varied ways allergies develop.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are young children, particularly infants and toddlers, with early-life atopic dermatitis (eczema) or with multiple allergic symptoms.
Not a fit: People without allergic disease or with adult-onset allergies may not directly benefit from findings focused on early-life atopic progression.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify children at higher risk for multiple allergic diseases and suggest targets for treatments that prevent progression from eczema to asthma.
How similar studies have performed: Previous cohorts and laboratory studies have linked epithelial genes to allergy risk, but this center's emphasis on an early-life longitudinal cohort and diverse disease combinations is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Cincinnati, United States
- Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr — Cincinnati, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Khurana Hershey, Gurjit K. — Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr
- Study coordinator: Khurana Hershey, Gurjit K.
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.