Understanding how emphysema progresses in patients
Official title: Prognostic Markers of Emphysema Progression
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-10593186 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how emphysema, a serious lung condition, gets worse over time, using special scans to help doctors create more tailored treatment plans for patients based on their unique situation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | March 15, 2020 |
| Project end | February 28, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $677,739 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL149877-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10593186 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with emphysema or COPD who are experiencing symptoms related to lung function decline.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other respiratory conditions that do not involve emphysema may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the progression of emphysema, a severe form of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which affects millions of people. By utilizing advanced imaging techniques like CT scans, the study aims to develop new prognostic markers that can predict how emphysema will progress in individual patients. The approach focuses on analyzing lung mechanics and inflammation to better understand the disease's underlying mechanisms. Patients may benefit from more personalized treatment plans based on their specific emphysema subtype and progression risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved management and treatment strategies for patients with emphysema.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using imaging techniques to study lung diseases, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: San Jose Estepar, Raul — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: San Jose Estepar, Raul
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Precision phenotyping of emphysema in the elderly: a study in diverse adults
Researchers will look at CT scans and lung tests in older adults to understand different forms of emphysema and how they relate to health outcomes.
-
Lithium as a potential disease-modifying treatment for emphysema using a precision approach
A low-dose lithium approach is being studied to slow or modify emphysema in smokers who have COPD.
-
Imaging and multi-omics to find subtypes of emphysema in COPD
This project looks for molecular subtypes of emphysema in COPD by combining imaging with blood and tissue data to improve understanding and treatment options.
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Precision phenotyping of emphysema in the elderly: the MESA Lung Study
Aging adults with or without COPD-related symptoms may benefit from a new study that maps subtypes of emphysema on CT scans to better predict health risks.
-
E-cigarette use and emphysema risk in young adults (VapeScan)
A study to understand whether vaping or traditional cigarettes cause early lung damage in young adults.
-
Loss of lung blood-vessel stem cells that may speed lung aging and raise emphysema risk
Researchers will look at how losing a type of lung blood-vessel progenitor cell may make lungs age faster and increase emphysema risk in adults.
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.