Neutrophil function testing for airway disease
Neutrophil Physiology Core
This project measures how neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) work in people with airway diseases like asthma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11387526 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, clinicians will collect blood and lung wash (bronchoalveolar lavage) samples from enrolled patients to isolate neutrophils. The lab will run a set of functional tests to see how those neutrophils stick, move, eat and kill bacteria, make reactive oxygen, release granules and form NETs, and produce small regulatory vesicles. Those functional data will be combined with other molecular profiles from the parent projects so doctors can link cell behavior to each patient’s disease features. The core will coordinate closely with the study teams to choose the right tests for each patient sample, especially when sample amounts are limited.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with airway disease (for example asthma) who can give blood and are willing and eligible to provide bronchoalveolar lavage samples during clinical sampling.
Not a fit: People without airway disease or those unable or unwilling to provide lung wash samples are unlikely to benefit directly from this core’s work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Results could help identify abnormal neutrophil behaviors that guide more personalized treatments for airway diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory neutrophil function tests have been used in research before, but combining these functional assays with multi-omics on patient lung and blood samples is a relatively new and more comprehensive approach.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Muller, William a — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Muller, William a
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.