Lung fluid and immune-cell testing in severe viral pneumonia
Clinical Phenotyping and Human Core
The team collects lung fluid and immune cells from people on ventilators with severe flu or COVID-19 to learn why some patients keep getting lung damage and organ failure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11188984 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You may be asked to provide lung fluid (bronchoalveolar lavage) while intubated so researchers can study immune cells and molecules directly from your lungs. Lab teams will sort immune cell types and analyze their gene activity and epigenetic signals, and will test the fluid for metabolic markers. Samples are taken over time to see how lung immune responses change during and after severe viral pneumonia. Findings from mouse and cell models will be compared with these patient samples to better understand persistent inflammation and failed lung repair.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults in the ICU with severe influenza or SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia who require intubation and bronchoalveolar lavage are the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People who are not intubated, have non-viral pneumonia, are children, or cannot safely undergo bronchoscopy are unlikely to be eligible or benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal biological signals that lead to new tests or treatments to prevent or reduce long-term lung damage after severe viral pneumonia.
How similar studies have performed: Previous BAL-based and molecular profiling studies in ARDS and viral pneumonia have yielded insights, but this combined approach of sorted-cell transcriptomics, epigenomics, and metabolomics in serial human samples is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wunderink, Richard G — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Wunderink, Richard G
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 below.