The effects of air pollution on progressive pulmonary fibrosis
Official title: Air Pollution, Environmental Injustice and Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis
Funded at Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru · NIH-11053723 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how air pollution, especially tiny particles and nitrogen dioxide, might lead to a serious lung condition called progressive pulmonary fibrosis, particularly in people living in areas that are more vulnerable to pollution.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $241,811 |
| NIH project number | 1K23ES035447-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11053723 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals living in areas with high levels of air pollution and those diagnosed with interstitial lung disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not live in polluted environments or those without any lung disease may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how exposure to air pollution, particularly fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, may contribute to the development of progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF), a severe lung condition. The study focuses on individuals living in areas with high social vulnerability, who may face greater exposure to harmful air pollutants. By utilizing geospatial mapping and advanced modeling techniques, the research aims to uncover the relationship between environmental factors and the incidence of PPF. The findings could lead to better understanding and potential interventions for at-risk populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved prevention strategies and treatment options for patients at risk of progressive pulmonary fibrosis due to air pollution.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has indicated a link between air pollution and lung diseases, suggesting that this approach could yield significant insights into PPF, although the specific focus on PPF in relation to environmental injustice is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Macmurdo, Maeve Georgia — Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
- Study coordinator: Macmurdo, Maeve Georgia
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Molecular clues to progressive lung scarring
Researchers are studying how lung tissue becomes progressively scarred, focusing on cell signals and receptors that may drive fibrosis in people with lung disease.
-
p53 acetylation and alveolar stem cell aging in progressive lung fibrosis
Scientists are studying how changes to a cancer-related protein, p53, affect aging lung cells and contribute to a scary lung disease called IPF.
-
Support-T: a mobile tool to help people with progressive pulmonary fibrosis and their caregivers get palliative care and planning
A mobile app called SUPPORT-T helps people with progressive pulmonary fibrosis and their caregivers access palliative care and plan for the future.
-
Defining how early pulmonary fibrosis develops at the molecular level
Researchers are studying early stages of pulmonary fibrosis at the molecule-by-molecule level to understand how the disease starts and progresses in people.
-
How lung cells change in early and worsening pulmonary fibrosis
Researchers will map how specific lung cells and their local neighborhoods change over time in people at risk for or with pulmonary fibrosis using advanced tissue-based gene mapping.
-
Understanding how lung fibrosis progresses at a molecular level
This study is looking at how a substance called hyaluronan affects lung inflammation and healing in people with progressive pulmonary fibrosis, with the hope of finding new ways to help improve lung health.
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.