Understanding environmental and biological causes of asthma in children
EXposomic Profiling in Airway disease to uNravel Determinants of disease in Asthma (EXPAND-Asthma) Center
Researchers will collect blood and airway samples from children in Richmond, CA to link environmental exposures and biology with asthma symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11397123 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be asked to join a project enrolling about 200 children with asthma and 100 without asthma from Richmond, CA. We will collect blood and airway samples (nasal swabs and sputum) when children are stable and again during acute breathing episodes over one year, and combine these with information about air pollution, stress, and clinical symptoms. Scientists will run a wide range of lab tests (multi-omics) on the samples to find biological patterns tied to exposures and asthma outcomes. The aim is to understand why asthma differs between children and which exposures lead to worse symptoms in this community.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children up to about 11 years old who live in Richmond, CA, both with asthma and without asthma, especially those from Latine and other historically marginalized communities.
Not a fit: Adults, people living outside the Richmond area, or those unable or unwilling to provide blood or airway samples are unlikely to participate or benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more personalized care, better prevention of attacks, and actions to reduce harmful exposures in communities with high asthma burden.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked pollution and stress to asthma, but combining airway and blood multi-omics with detailed exposure data in underserved children is a relatively new and promising approach.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Christenson, Stephanie a — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Christenson, Stephanie a
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.