NOTCH3 blood marker for pulmonary arterial hypertension
Official title: NOTCH3 ECD as a Serum Biomarker for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11310864 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for a NOTCH3 protein fragment in blood to help detect and monitor pulmonary arterial hypertension in people with PAH.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $605,726 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL169861-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11310864 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with confirmed or suspected pulmonary arterial hypertension who can provide blood samples and clinical information.
✕Less likely to help
People without PAH or those with pulmonary hypertension caused by left heart disease or lung disease may not benefit directly from this specific biomarker approach.
What this research studies
If you have PAH, researchers will measure the NOTCH3 extracellular fragment (NOTCH3 ECD) in blood samples from people with PAH and compare those levels to healthy volunteers and experimental models. They will study how NOTCH3 is cut from vessel cells, where the released ECD goes in the body, and whether blood levels match how severe the disease is or how patients respond to treatment. The work combines lab tests, animal experiments, and analysis of human blood and clinical data to build a link between NOTCH3 ECD and PAH. The team aims to translate these findings into a practical blood test clinicians could use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide a simple blood test to help diagnose PAH earlier and track disease progression or treatment response.
How similar studies have gone: Early lab and animal studies show NOTCH3 is increased and cleaved in PAH, but using the NOTCH3 ECD as a blood biomarker is a novel and still-unproven approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thistlethwaite, Patricia a — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Thistlethwaite, Patricia 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.