How the lung microbiome shapes immune memory in the airway lining
Modulation of epithelial memory by the microbiome
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · JACKSON LABORATORY · NIH-11330396
This project looks at how age-related changes in the lung microbiome and airway cell memory affect antiviral defenses in older adults.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | JACKSON LABORATORY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BAR HARBOR, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11330396 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will grow airway cells taken from younger and older donors in lab cultures that mimic the lung surface. They will use genome-wide chromatin-accessibility tests (including ATAC-seq), single-cell and bulk analyses, and CRISPR gene edits to map how DNA packaging and gene activity differ with age. The team will expose these cultures to microbial and viral signals to see how microbes change cell memory and antiviral responses. The plan is to connect age-related epigenetic shifts with altered interactions between the lung lining and the respiratory microbiome.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults or adult donors willing to provide airway samples or join related clinical/sample-donation studies of lung immunity.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatment for active viral lung infections are unlikely to benefit directly because this is laboratory-based, preclinical research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to boost lung antiviral defenses in older adults by targeting epithelial cell memory or the respiratory microbiome.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal and cell studies have linked aging, epigenetic changes, and the microbiome to immune differences, but applying these findings to human lung epithelial memory is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
BAR HARBOR, UNITED STATES
- JACKSON LABORATORY — BAR HARBOR, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: OH, JULIA — JACKSON LABORATORY
- Study coordinator: OH, JULIA
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.