Mural cells and blood vessel remodeling in flow-related lung high blood pressure
Official title: Mural cells contribution to vascular remodeling in flow induced pulmonary hypertension
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11392210 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A 5-year NIH-supported project at Boston Children’s Hospital aims to understand how blood flow changes and mural cells drive pulmonary hypertension, with the goal of creating better animal models and new therapies for patients with congenital heart disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $161,871 |
| NIH project number | 5K08HL171843-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11392210 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with congenital heart defects at risk of flow-induced pulmonary hypertension, or those who could benefit from future therapies developed from these findings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without congenital heart defects or flow-related pulmonary hypertension may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project will develop a mouse model that mirrors flow-induced pulmonary hypertension seen in patients with congenital heart defects. The team will study how mural cells respond to high blood flow and how the CXCL12 pathway may influence vascular remodeling. By comparing new models to existing ones, researchers hope to uncover mechanisms that can be targeted to reverse disease progression. The work involves genetic and physiological experiments in animals to better reflect human disease and guide future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to more accurate animal models and identify targets for therapies that might slow or reverse pulmonary hypertension in patients with CHD.
How similar studies have gone: Previous models exist but do not fully replicate patient physiology, making this novel approach potentially more predictive.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Klouda, Timothy — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Klouda, Timothy
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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.