New approaches to protect the heart after pneumococcal pneumonia
Official title: Novel strategies to mitigate cardiac damage and dysfunction following invasive pneumococcal disease
Funded at Louisiana State Univ Hsc Shreveport · NIH-11443379 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to find ways to prevent heart damage and later heart problems in adults hospitalized with pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Louisiana State Univ Hsc Shreveport NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Shreveport, United States) |
| Project start | October 21, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $547,431 |
| NIH project number | 7R01HL171136-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11443379 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults with pneumococcal pneumonia or a history of severe pneumonia who are at risk for cardiovascular complications.
✕Less likely to help
People without pneumonia or those not at risk for heart complications from pneumonia may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
Many adults hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia have a high risk of dangerous heart events during and after their hospital stay. This project tests strategies to reduce heart inflammation and damage caused by the infection, focusing on a specific inflammatory pathway that appears to worsen heart function in animal models. By studying how the heart responds in the setting of pneumococcal disease, the researchers hope to identify targets to prevent long-term heart problems after pneumonia. The work is conducted at Louisiana State University Shreveport, led by Hind Lal, and involves collaboration across disciplines to translate findings toward patient care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that protect the heart during and after severe pneumonia, reducing death and long-term heart problems.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown heart inflammation contributes to damage in pneumococcal disease, but targeted heart-protective strategies are still under development.
Where this research is happening
-
Louisiana State Univ Hsc Shreveport
Shreveport, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lal, Hind — Louisiana State Univ Hsc Shreveport
- Study coordinator: Lal, Hind
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.