Small blood vessel damage and lung scarring in systemic sclerosis
Vasculopathy and Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease
This project looks at whether tiny blood vessel damage in the lungs and body leads to lung scarring in adults with systemic sclerosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11177962 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will follow 100 adults with systemic sclerosis over time and use chest CT blood-volume imaging, peripheral microvascular measurements, lung function tests, and blood-based molecular markers to study blood-vessel health. They will compare people with and without interstitial lung disease (ILD) to see if reduced lung microvascular perfusion or peripheral endothelial dysfunction links to ILD. The team combines structural imaging, functional testing, and molecular analyses to trace how vascular injury might lead to lung inflammation and fibrosis. Results will be used to identify vascular features that could become targets to prevent or slow SSc-ILD.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 or older with a diagnosis of systemic sclerosis, with or without signs of interstitial lung disease, would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without systemic sclerosis, those under age 21, or individuals whose lung disease is due to infection or cancer are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or slow lung scarring in people with systemic sclerosis by targeting blood-vessel injury.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have suggested a link between vascular injury and SSc-ILD but no trials have yet tested interventions to prevent ILD, so this combined imaging and molecular approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bernstein, Elana J. — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Bernstein, Elana 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 below.