Investigating how air pollution affects childhood asthma and lung function
Official title: Childhood Asthma: Disease Course and Lung Function Trajectories and Air Pollution Exposure
Funded at University of Texas at Austin · NIH-11018592 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how air pollution affects asthma in kids, and it involves 300 children from different backgrounds to see how their lung health and asthma symptoms change over time, with the hope of finding ways to help them breathe better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas at Austin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Austin, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $658,724 |
| NIH project number | 5R01ES035131-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11018592 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children aged 0-11 years who have been diagnosed with asthma and live in areas with varying levels of air pollution.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have asthma or are outside the age range of 0-11 years may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how exposure to air pollution, particularly particulate matter, influences the severity and progression of asthma in children. By conducting a prospective cohort study involving 300 multi-ethnic children, researchers will measure lung function, asthma severity, and specific sources and compositions of air pollution over time. The goal is to identify environmental factors that contribute to worsening asthma and lung function decline, which could help in developing targeted interventions for affected children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved management strategies for childhood asthma, potentially reducing long-term lung disease risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that air pollution negatively impacts lung function in children, suggesting that this research could build on established findings.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Matsui, Elizabeth C. — University of Texas at Austin
- Study coordinator: Matsui, Elizabeth C.
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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.