Understanding how immune cells leave inflamed lungs to help ARDS patients
Official title: Elucidation of a Eukaryotic Chemorepulsion Mechanism
Funded at Texas A&m University · NIH-11329460 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to learn how signals that push immune cells away can reduce lung damage in ARDS patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2021 |
| Project end | February 28, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $452,136 |
| NIH project number | 2R35GM139486-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11329460 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with ARDS or related severe lung inflammation could benefit from future therapies informed by this research.
✕Less likely to help
This basic science project does not involve direct patient participation or immediate clinical testing.
What this research studies
This project studies a natural mechanism that makes immune cells move away from a source of a chemorepellent, using the model organism Dictyostelium and connections to human proteins. It looks at how a protein called AprA guides cell movement and how similar pathways in humans react to DPPIV and PAR2 signals. The goal is to uncover a clear mechanism that could be targeted to help neutrophils leave the lungs during ARDS, potentially reducing tissue injury. By combining biochemistry and genetics, the research hopes to map a new pathway that could translate into therapies for severe lung inflammation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could inform new strategies to reduce lung damage in ARDS by guiding immune cells away from the lungs.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show that chemorepulsion pathways exist and have relevance to neutrophil behavior in humans, suggesting potential translatability.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas A&m University
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gomer, Richard H — Texas A&m University
- Study coordinator: Gomer, Richard H
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.