Repurposing FDA-approved Drugs for Lung Diseases with AI
Official title: RESPOND: Repurposing Drugs for Respiratory Disorders Using a Hybrid Neuro-Symbolic AI Approach
Funded at St. John's University · NIH-11361341 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A strategy uses an AI tool to find existing drugs that could help people with PAH or IPF.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. John's University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Queens, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $562,500 |
| NIH project number | 1R15HL181657-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11361341 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with PAH or IPF who are candidates for experimental therapies may indirectly benefit as new treatments emerge.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not eligible for future trials or affected by different diseases may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project uses RESPOND, an AI system, to scan existing FDA-approved drugs and biological data to identify candidates that might slow PAH and IPF. Promising drugs will be tested in the lab and in animal models to see if they can impact disease processes. Undergraduate students will participate in data analysis, lab work, and science communication to gain hands-on research experience. The goal is to accelerate finding new treatment options for people with these lung diseases and to demonstrate how AI can speed up drug discovery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with PAH or IPF could have new treatment options developed more quickly.
How similar studies have gone: AI-driven drug repurposing has shown promise in identifying viable candidates in other diseases, though translation to PAH/IPF will require validation.
Where this research is happening
-
St. John's University
Queens, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bukhari, Syed Ahmad Chan — St. John's University
- Study coordinator: Bukhari, Syed Ahmad Chan
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.