Understanding how capillary barriers function in critically ill children
Official title: Molecular regulation of the capillary barrier in acute critical illness
Funded at Yale University · NIH-10875434 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how capillary leak syndrome affects critically ill children and aims to understand how certain signals in the body can weaken blood vessel barriers, with the hope of finding new ways to help these kids feel better and recover faster.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $573,389 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL170164-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10875434 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are critically ill children experiencing acute organ failure and capillary leak syndrome.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with chronic illnesses or those not experiencing acute critical conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the mechanisms behind capillary leak syndrome in acutely critically ill children, a condition that can lead to worsening organ failure despite treatment. The study aims to identify the specific cellular responses and signaling pathways involved in this process, particularly focusing on how certain cytokines affect the integrity of blood vessel barriers. By examining cultured human endothelial cells, researchers hope to uncover potential therapeutic targets that could improve patient outcomes. The ultimate goal is to enhance understanding of the pathophysiology of capillary leak and develop better treatment strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatments for critically ill children suffering from organ dysfunction due to capillary leak syndrome.
How similar studies have gone: While there have been studies on cytokine responses in critically ill patients, this research aims to explore novel pathways that have not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pierce, Richard W — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Pierce, Richard W
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Glucocorticoids and critical illness outcomes in ICU patients
A researcher team at Columbia University will study how glucocorticoids affect short- and long-term outcomes for people who survive critical illness, including mental health and recovery aspects.
-
REPAIR-ICU: Understanding aging-like changes after critical illness to help ICU survivors
This grant studies how surviving an ICU stay triggers aging-related changes in the body and tests interventions to help people recover.
-
Understanding how individual responses to treatments vary in ARDS and sepsis
This grant aims to help clinicians predict which patients with ARDS or sepsis will benefit most from specific treatments by using advanced computer approaches.
-
Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Immunological Endotyping and Intervention for Chronic Critical Illness after Sepsis
Aimed at people who have survived sepsis after surgery, this grant seeks to understand why some patients develop long-term organ problems and how to tailor treatments to their immune responses.
-
Molecular rules of capillary leak in seriously ill kids
A study looking at why blood vessels become leaky in severely ill children and how that leads to organ failure.
-
Heme-Driven Immune Dysregulation in Critical Illness
Researchers are studying how free heme from red blood cell breakdown affects the immune system in people with sepsis or chronic blood disorders, with the aim of guiding better treatments.
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.