Protein-based MRI contrast agent to image lung fibrosis in kids and adults
Official title: Development of Protein MRI Contrast Agent for Precision Imaging Lung Fibrosis 1R61HL173984-01
Funded at University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-11520223 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new protein MRI contrast agent is being developed to help doctors noninvasively detect and measure lung fibrosis, including in children and other patients, using safer MRI imaging.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $457,881 |
| NIH project number | 7R33HL173984-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11520223 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals with suspected or confirmed lung fibrosis, COPD, or related interstitial lung diseases, as well as research participants contributing tissues or imaging data.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without fibrotic lung disease or not eligible for imaging-based studies may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a collagen-targeted MRI contrast agent (ProCA) that highlights fibrotic lung tissue, enabling earlier and clearer detection of diseases like IPF and COPD. The work emphasizes imaging lung changes without radiation, using an innovative protein-based agent designed to bind collagen. Researchers will test and optimize the agent in preclinical models and plan translation toward human use, focusing on imaging quality, safety, and sensitivity to fibrosis. The effort is led by Dr. Jenny J. Yang at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, leveraging prior advances in ProCA technology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive earlier, noninvasive and radiation-free imaging of lung fibrosis, guiding timely treatment decisions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous ProCA-based imaging approaches have shown promise in highlighting collagen-rich tissue, supporting potential benefit for lung fibrosis imaging.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Jenny J. — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Yang, Jenny J.
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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.