Loss of lung blood-vessel stem cells that may speed lung aging and raise emphysema risk
Official title: Mesenchymal Vascular Progenitor Depletion Promotes Lung Aging and Susceptibility to Emphysema
Funded at National Jewish Health · NIH-11257257 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will look at how losing a type of lung blood-vessel progenitor cell may make lungs age faster and increase emphysema risk in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Jewish Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Denver, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $976,079 |
| NIH project number | 5R35HL161238-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11257257 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults at risk for or living with emphysema—especially older adults and current or former smokers—would be the most relevant for this research.
✕Less likely to help
Children and people with lung problems unrelated to aging or emphysema (for example, isolated acute infections) are unlikely to benefit from this specific work.
What this research studies
If you provide samples or take part, researchers will study a specific lung blood-vessel progenitor cell (MVPC) to see how it changes with aging and cigarette smoke exposure. They will use lab-grown cells, animal models, and comparisons of healthy versus older or smoke-exposed lung tissue to track how MVPC loss leads to blood-vessel damage and emphysema. The team will map signaling between MVPCs and the lung niche and test whether restoring MVPC-related pathways can prevent vascular decline. The goal is to find pathways or treatments that could help keep lungs healthier as people get older.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to protect lung blood vessels, slow lung aging, and reduce emphysema progression.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked loss of epithelial progenitors to lung aging, but targeting MVPCs is a newer approach with limited prior clinical progress.
Where this research is happening
-
National Jewish Health
Denver, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Majka, Susan M — National Jewish Health
- Study coordinator: Majka, Susan M
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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.