Investigating a new approach to treat steroid-resistant asthma
Official title: Modulation of airway epithelial syndecan-1 in a preclinical model of steroid-resistant asthma
Funded at University of Vermont & St Agric College · NIH-11138200 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a protein called syndecan-1 to see how it influences inflammation in people with steroid-resistant asthma, with the hope of finding new treatment options that could help those who don’t respond well to regular steroid medications.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Vermont & St Agric College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Burlington, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2025 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $185,866 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AI186022-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11138200 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with severe allergic asthma who do not respond to steroid treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with mild asthma or those who respond well to standard steroid therapies may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how syndecan-1, a protein found on airway epithelial cells, affects inflammation in steroid-resistant asthma. The study will explore the role of this protein in regulating immune responses and how its cleavage can lead to increased inflammation. By using a preclinical model of asthma, researchers aim to identify potential therapeutic targets, including specific inhibitors that could reduce inflammation and improve airway function. Patients may benefit from insights gained about new treatment options that could be more effective for those who do not respond to standard steroid therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments for patients suffering from steroid-resistant asthma, improving their quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promising results with similar approaches targeting inflammatory pathways in asthma, suggesting potential for success in this area.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Vermont & St Agric College
Burlington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Poynter, Matthew E — University of Vermont & St Agric College
- Study coordinator: Poynter, Matthew E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
GLP-1 receptor agonists as immune targets to treat asthma in lean and obese adults
Aims to understand how GLP-1R‑agonist diabetes medicines may directly calm immune cells to reduce asthma in adults who are lean or obese.
-
Understanding how a type of immune cell called ILC2s affect asthma in adults
This grant studies how group 2 innate lymphoid cells influence asthma in adults to help identify new ways to manage airway inflammation.
-
Expanding understanding of asthma in kids through airways and blood profiling
A study at UC San Francisco will profile blood and nasal/sputum samples from 300 youth (including 200 with asthma) over a year to understand how environmental and social factors influence asthma in marginalized communities.
-
Preventing and improving asthma care for children in urban communities
This program will try several approaches — from giving helpful bacteria to babies to allergy immunotherapy and advanced airway testing — to prevent and better treat asthma in children who live in cities.
-
IDEAL project helps predict vaccine response, infections, and asthma in early childhood
A Child-focused program will collect and share saliva, blood, and tissue samples from diverse infants to find biological patterns that predict how vaccines work, how respiratory infections occur, and who develops asthma.
-
Understanding how early-life immune development affects vaccine responses and asthma risk in children
This project uses lab-grown human immune cells from infants and young children to explore why some kids respond poorly to vaccines and are more prone to respiratory infections and asthma.
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.