Lung blood-vessel cell structure and ARDS
Official title: Cytoskeletal Regulation of Lung Endothelial Pathobiology in ARDS
Funded at University of Florida · NIH-11193823 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how the internal skeleton of lung blood-vessel cells makes vessels leak in adults with ARDS and aims to find targets for new treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2016 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $2,185,600 |
| NIH project number | 5P01HL126609-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11193823 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with ARDS (including COVID-19–related ARDS), ARDS survivors, and people of African descent interested in genetic or biospecimen studies would be the most likely candidates to participate.
✕Less likely to help
Children, people without ARDS, and those with unrelated chronic lung conditions or unwilling to provide samples are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers are studying how the internal framework (the cytoskeleton) of lung endothelial cells controls whether blood vessels stay sealed or become leaky during ARDS and ventilator-induced injury. They use molecular and genomic testing, lab models, and analysis of human genetic differences—especially in people of African descent—to pinpoint genes, SNPs, and epigenetic sites involved in barrier repair. The team examines how reactive oxygen species change cell structure, focal adhesions, and lamellipodia that drive barrier integrity, and they test molecular approaches that might reduce permeability and inflammation. Results are intended to identify new drug targets and move promising therapies toward clinical testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to treatments that reduce lung blood-vessel leak and inflammation, lowering organ failure and deaths from ARDS.
How similar studies have gone: Previous laboratory and animal studies have shown promising approaches to stabilize the lung vascular barrier, but there are currently no widely approved drugs that stop ARDS vascular leak, so this work builds on preclinical findings toward clinical solutions.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Florida
Gainesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Garcia, Joe G. N. — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Garcia, Joe G. N.
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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.