How the blood vessel lining can cause organ failure after critical illness
Endothelial mechanisms of multiorgan dysfunction
This work looks at how the lining of blood vessels drives organ damage in people who are critically ill, such as those with sepsis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albany Medical College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albany, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11192769 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my point of view as a patient, the researchers are studying how the inner lining of blood vessels (the endothelium) reacts to severe inflammation and leads to problems like clotting, immune cell buildup, and fluid leaks that harm organs. They will examine specific proteins and signaling pathways in endothelial cells using laboratory experiments with cells and models and by analyzing data relevant to human critical illness. The team aims to connect these endothelial changes to the long-term problems many ICU survivors face, known as post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). Ultimately they want to find targets in the endothelium that could be turned into treatments to protect organs during and after critical illness.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who are currently critically ill with conditions like sepsis or who have survived intensive care and have symptoms of PICS would be most relevant to this research and possible future trials.
Not a fit: People without critical illness or conditions that do not involve inflammation-driven vascular injury are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to protect organs and reduce long-term disability or death after sepsis and other critical illnesses.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies show the endothelium plays a key role in organ failure and that blocking cytokines alone has not improved survival, so focusing on endothelial mechanisms is a promising but still relatively novel approach.
Where this research is happening
Albany, United States
- Albany Medical College — Albany, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Adam, Alejandro Pablo — Albany Medical College
- Study coordinator: Adam, Alejandro Pablo
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.