Understanding and preventing life-threatening lung bleeding in lupus patients
Official title: Improving the diagnosis and outcome of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage in systemic lupus erythematosus
Funded at University of Florida · NIH-11385326 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new NIH grant is exploring why some lupus patients develop dangerous lung bleeding and how we might predict and prevent it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project start | August 6, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $504,692 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR085033-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11385326 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with systemic lupus erythematosus who are at risk for or have a history of DAH, or researchers studying lupus-related lung involvement.
✕Less likely to help
People without lupus or without a risk of DAH may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
Researchers will use a mouse model of lupus to uncover why certain genetic backgrounds predispose to diffuse alveolar hemorrhage and what triggers this lung bleeding. They will study how lung blood vessel injury, immune cell recruitment, and the body's clotting pathways interact, and they will test targeted drug inhibitors to see if they can stop the bleeding early. The project also aims to identify gene patterns and develop a simple blood test to aid in early diagnosis. All work is designed to translate into better care and earlier interventions for people with lupus who are at risk of DAH.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to earlier diagnosis and new treatments to reduce the risk of life-threatening lung bleeding in lupus patients.
How similar studies have gone: There is prior evidence in animal models and some human data suggesting immune and blood-clotting pathways contribute to DAH, with potential for targeted therapies to help.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Florida
Gainesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Reeves, Westley H — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Reeves, Westley H
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Immunostimulatory short non-coding RNAs and lupus
A study in people with lupus looks at tiny RNA pieces that may spark inflammation, to understand if they drive disease activity.
-
Antiviral factors that limit HIV in people with SLE
Researchers at Howard University are studying how immune factors in people with lupus may help limit HIV infection.
-
Mechanistic clues about lupus from immune disorders
This grant looks at why certain immune disorders in people with genetic immune problems lead to lupus-like symptoms, by studying patients and mouse models.
-
Subjective thinking challenges in adults with lupus as they age
This grant aims to understand how lupus-related cognitive problems affect adults, especially older adults, and tests a real-time method to track daily fluctuations in those symptoms.
-
Mitochondrial targets of antibodies in lupus (SLE)
A Johns Hopkins-led study will identify which mitochondrial membrane proteins are targeted by autoantibodies in lupus patients to understand how these immune attacks fuel the disease.
-
Influenza, Hydroxychloroquine, and the Windows of Self-Peptide Presentation in Lupus
A doctor-researcher is studying how flu infection and the lupus medication hydroxychloroquine change the way the immune system shows self-parts to trigger or prevent lupus flares in kids.
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.