NIH-funded research R21 grant

Investigating how T cells affect muscle disease in inclusion body myositis

Official title: High-dimensional mass imaging of muscle for the mechanistic study of T cells in inclusion body myositis

Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-10797018 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is looking at how certain immune cells called T cells might affect muscle loss in people with sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM), and it hopes to find new ways to help manage the disease by understanding these cells better.

More Myositis research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeR21 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California-Irvine
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Irvine, United States)
Project startMarch 1, 2023
Project endFebruary 28, 2026
Funding year2024
Award (this year)$268,030
NIH project number5R21AR082649-02
Project IDNIH-10797018 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with sporadic inclusion body myositis.

Less likely to help

Patients with other forms of muscle diseases or those without a diagnosis of inclusion body myositis may not benefit from this research.

What this research studies

This research focuses on sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM), a rare muscle disease, by examining the role of T cells in its progression. The study aims to understand how T cells, which can become senescent and lose their ability to proliferate, contribute to muscle cell death in IBM. Researchers will analyze the molecular characteristics of these T cells and their correlation with clinical measures of the disease. Additionally, they will explore pharmacological approaches to regulate T cell senescence, potentially leading to new treatment strategies.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and treatment options for patients with inclusion body myositis.

How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of this research is novel, previous studies have shown that understanding T cell behavior can lead to advancements in treating autoimmune diseases.

Where this research is happening

  • University of California-Irvine
    Irvine, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Villalta, Sergio Armando — University of California-Irvine
  • Study coordinator: Villalta, Sergio Armando

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

  • Myositis-ILD Risk Prediction: How ILD Progresses in Myositis Patients

    A study to build better tools that predict how lung disease linked to myositis will behave in diverse patients.

    NIH research University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, United States · NIH-11416500

  • Autoantibodies and membrane repair in myositis

    A blood and tissue study seeks to understand how immune reactions against muscle repair proteins contribute to inflammatory myositis, with the goal of guiding better treatments for people with this condition.

    NIH research Ohio State University · Columbus, UNITED STATES · NIH-11381103

  • Why chikungunya causes long-lasting joint and muscle pain

    This work looks at how chikungunya virus can linger in joint and muscle cells and keep causing pain for people who had the infection.

    NIH research Washington University · Saint Louis, United States · NIH-11325369

  • Autoantibodies against muscle membrane repair proteins in myositis

    This work looks at whether people with myositis have antibodies that attack proteins that fix damaged muscle cell membranes and how that may cause muscle inflammation and weakness.

    NIH research Ohio State University · Columbus, UNITED STATES · NIH-11196770

  • Predicting lung disease outcomes in people with myositis

    This project combines medical information and genetic markers to predict which people with myositis will have worsening interstitial lung disease.

    NIH research University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, United States · NIH-11193816

  • Cancer risk in inflammatory muscle disease (myositis)

    This project looks for signs in people with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies that show whether they have or might develop cancer.

    NIH research Johns Hopkins University · Baltimore, United States · NIH-11174212

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.