New treatments for lung scarring in systemic sclerosis
From proteomics and genomics to therapeutics in systemic sclerosis interstitial lung disease
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · NIH-11193264
This project looks for new drug targets and therapies to help people with systemic sclerosis who have scarring in their lungs.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11193264 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you have systemic sclerosis with lung scarring, this project will map the proteins and genes in affected lungs using advanced proteomics and genomics. Researchers will analyze lung tissue and blood samples from people with SSc alongside experimental models to identify the cells and pathways driving fibrosis. They will compare human and mouse data and test whether the proteins they find can be targeted by existing or new drugs. The aim is to find actionable molecular targets that could lead to better treatments for SSc-ILD.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with systemic sclerosis who have evidence of interstitial lung disease (abnormal lung imaging or declining lung function) or who can donate lung tissue or blood samples would be most relevant for participation or sample donation.
Not a fit: People without systemic sclerosis or without lung involvement, or those seeking immediate changes to their current treatment, are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal new drug targets that slow, stop, or possibly reverse lung scarring in systemic sclerosis.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work has identified shared fibrosis pathways and two drugs that slow lung decline in SSc-ILD, but a detailed, quantitative map of the SSc lung proteome is a new and more comprehensive approach.
Where this research is happening
PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH — PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: EICKELBERG, OLIVER — UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- Study coordinator: EICKELBERG, OLIVER
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.