Lung blood vessel changes in children with congenital heart defects that increase blood flow
Official title: METABOLIC REPROGRAMMING AND PULMONARY VASCULAR DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE RESULTING IN INCREASED PULMONARY BLOOD FLOW
Funded at Florida International University · NIH-11198731 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how changes in cell metabolism and collagen production in lung blood vessels may cause pulmonary vascular disease in children born with heart defects that raise blood flow to the lungs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Florida International University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Miami, United States) |
| Project start | August 10, 2020 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $2,342,524 |
| NIH project number | 2P01HL146369-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11198731 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children (especially infants and young kids) born with congenital heart defects that cause increased pulmonary blood flow would be the patients most directly related to this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without congenital heart disease, adults with unrelated lung conditions, or those with late-stage, irreversible pulmonary vascular damage are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
This project uses a lamb model to mimic the high lung blood flow seen in babies with certain congenital heart defects to study their lung blood vessels. Scientists examine how the cells that line the vessels change metabolism, avoid normal cell death, and produce more collagen by focusing on proline biosynthesis and collagen deposition. They measure vessel counts, cell growth and survival, nitric oxide signaling, and tissue remodeling to understand early disease changes. The goal is to identify steps that could be targeted to prevent harmful vessel remodeling in children with these heart problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments or prevention strategies to stop or slow pulmonary vascular disease in children with congenital heart defects.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies have shown metabolic shifts and vessel changes with increased pulmonary blood flow, but targeting the endothelial proline–collagen pathway is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Florida International University
Miami, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Black, Stephen M — Florida International University
- Study coordinator: Black, Stephen 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.