Lung transplant patients: how lung bacteria may drive chronic rejection and how blocking IL-33 might help
Official title: Microbial Dysbiosis in Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11364241 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist team at Baylor College of Medicine is studying whether imbalances in lung bacteria after transplant contribute to chronic rejection, and if blocking IL-33 could prevent this damage.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $510,181 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL161620-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11364241 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Lung transplant recipients and individuals at risk of CLAD may benefit from findings, though this grant itself is a basic and animal-model study.
✕Less likely to help
Results may not directly benefit patients in the short term and some therapies may require further trials.
What this research studies
This project follows people who have received lung transplants by examining lung bacteria over time and how these microbes relate to chronic rejection. Researchers will use a mouse lung transplant model to test whether blocking IL-33 can reduce harmful lung inflammation and fibrogenesis linked to dysbiosis. The study aims to uncover biological pathways that could lead to new treatments that protect lung transplant patients from CLAD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new therapies that reduce chronic lung transplant rejection and improve long-term survival.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked lung dysbiosis to CLAD, but a clear causal mechanism and treatment approach remain to be proven.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sharma, Nirmal S — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Sharma, Nirmal S
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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.