Mechanistic modeling of lung immune responses to explain why COVID-19 affects people differently
Official title: Mechanistic modeling of the innate immune responses of the human lung to understand the inter-individual heterogeneity of COVID-19 pneumonia
Funded at University of Florida · NIH-11386430 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research team at the University of Florida is building personalized computer and lab models to understand why COVID-19 causes different levels of illness in different people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $705,669 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL169974-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11386430 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with COVID-19 who could provide samples or participate in related observational or biomarker studies, and future trials exploring personalized interventions.
✕Less likely to help
Results may not directly benefit patients who do not develop severe disease or who do not participate in related human studies.
What this research studies
The project uses a 3D lung cell culture system and a mouse model with human ACE2 to study early SARS-CoV-2 infection. It also combines a multi-scale mathematical model to tailor predictions to individual patients. The goal is to uncover how immune pathways, especially the mTOR pathway in certain lung cells, contribute to severe versus mild disease. If successful, the work could guide personalized strategies to improve outcomes for people with COVID-19.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could inform personalized approaches to prevent severe COVID-19 by targeting specific immune pathways.
How similar studies have gone: Previous efforts using 3D lung models and computational approaches have shown promise in capturing disease heterogeneity, with ongoing work building toward personalized insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Florida
Gainesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mehrad, Borna — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Mehrad, Borna
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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.