Neutrophils' role in severe asthma
Official title: Neutrophil responses Drive Severe Asthma
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11387532 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how certain white blood cells called neutrophils drive severe asthma in people who do not respond to current treatments.
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 start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $638,028 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AI181102-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11387532 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with severe asthma, especially those with persistent airway neutrophilia or who do not improve with standard T2‑targeting therapies.
✕Less likely to help
People with mild asthma or whose symptoms are well controlled by existing T2‑targeted medications are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
You would be asked to provide airway samples such as biopsies, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, sputum, and blood during care at the clinic. Researchers will compare people with neutrophil‑predominant (non‑T2) inflammation to other asthma types to see how neutrophils enter and act in the airways. Lab studies on these cells and tissues will measure neutrophil activation, signaling (for example interferon‑γ and IL‑17 pathways), and markers of airway remodeling. The team aims to pinpoint mechanisms and potential targets for new treatments for patients whose asthma is not controlled by current T2‑directed drugs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets or therapies for people with severe, neutrophil‑driven asthma who lack effective treatment options.
How similar studies have gone: While T2‑directed treatments have proven effective for eosinophilic asthma, approaches targeting neutrophil‑driven asthma are much less developed and remain largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Seibold, Max a — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Seibold, Max a
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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.