Novel negative pressure lung perfusion device for donor lung rehabilitation
Official title: Engineering a Novel Negative Pressure Ventilation Platform for Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion
Funded at University of Louisville · NIH-11440841 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new automated system uses gentle negative pressure to run donor lungs outside the body, while delivering targeted antibiotics to improve lung quality for transplant.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Louisville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Louisville, United States) |
| Project start | September 7, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $193,198 |
| NIH project number | 1R21EB039982-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11440841 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with end-stage lung disease who might receive a transplant and whose donor lungs are currently unsuitable due to injury or infection.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals or patients not awaiting transplant would not directly benefit from this device.
What this research studies
This project aims to build and test an automated negative pressure ventilation setup that works with existing ex vivo lung perfusion equipment. By using negative pressure instead of traditional positive pressure, the system may reduce lung injury and edema while allowing high-dose antibiotics to reach infected lungs. The goal is to expand the pool of donor lungs that can be used for transplantation by better evaluating and rehabilitating marginal lungs. The work combines engineering with established EVLP methods to create a safer, more effective platform for lung preservation and treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, more donor lungs could be deemed suitable for transplant, potentially shortening wait times for patients with end-stage lung disease.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work suggests negative pressure approaches may reduce lung injury, but this is an early-stage, device-focused project.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Louisville
Louisville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roussel, Thomas J — University of Louisville
- Study coordinator: Roussel, Thomas J
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.