Role of the body’s blood-pressure system in how our body fights flu in the lungs
Official title: Roles of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in the innate immune response to influenza virus infection
Funded at University of Maine Orono · NIH-11423614 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how the body’s RAAS system affects lung inflammation during influenza infection to understand why some people develop severe illness.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maine Orono NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Orono, United States) |
| Project start | July 24, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $143,874 |
| NIH project number | 1R16AI201117-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11423614 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with severe influenza or ARDS could indirectly benefit from future therapies emerging from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals or those with flu but no lung symptoms may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
The project explores how RAAS signals influence inflammation in flu-infected lungs, aiming to map how angiotensin II receptors AGTR1 and AGTR2 drive or limit immune responses. Researchers will use in vivo models to distinguish the virus’s effects from host factors and examine how neutrophils and reactive oxygen species contribute to lung injury. The work could reveal targets to modulate inflammation and potentially reduce ARDS risk after flu infection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could identify new approaches to lessen severe lung inflammation from flu and prevent progression to ARDS.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work links AGTR2 to reduced inflammation, but this project examines their roles specifically in flu-related lung injury, which is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Maine Orono
Orono, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: King, Benjamin L — University of Maine Orono
- Study coordinator: King, Benjamin L
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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.