How toxic inhaled chemicals damage the lungs using a mini‑lung on a chip
Characterizing chemical threat agent exposures using a lung-on-a-chip platform and multi-omic analysis of common pathophysiological mechanisms
This project uses a human mini‑lung on a chip and molecular tests to find how different toxic inhaled chemicals harm airways and point to ways to treat or prevent that damage.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11163262 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers grow a 3‑D human airway 'organ tissue equivalent' (a mini‑lung) and expose it to gases, vapors, or nebulized liquids that represent hazardous chemicals. They measure dose and immediate damage with functional tests and chemical assays. They also run transcriptomic and other molecular (multi‑omic) analyses to identify common injury pathways across different chemicals. The goal is to discover biological targets and candidate medical countermeasures that can reduce lung injury after exposure.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The project does not enroll patients directly, but its findings are most relevant to people exposed to toxic inhaled chemicals, including victims of industrial or accidental releases and first responders.
Not a fit: People with health concerns unrelated to inhaled chemical exposure or with only non‑respiratory conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could speed development of treatments and medical countermeasures for people exposed to toxic inhaled chemicals and improve how rapidly harm is detected.
How similar studies have performed: Organ‑on‑chip models and molecular profiling have successfully modeled chlorine lung injury and revealed pathways, but applying this combined platform across many different chemical threats is a newer, less‑tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Winston-Salem, United States
- Wake Forest University Health Sciences — Winston-Salem, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Murphy, Sean Vincent — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Murphy, Sean Vincent
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.