Understanding lung development in babies with congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Official title: Modeling fetal lung development in congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11169895 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work aims to uncover why the lungs of babies with congenital diaphragmatic hernia do not develop properly.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $513,049 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL171298-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11169895 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research focuses on understanding the disease mechanisms and is not directly recruiting patients for participation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate treatment or direct clinical intervention will not receive benefit from this basic science project.
What this research studies
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a birth defect where organs from the abdomen move into the chest, preventing the lungs from growing as they should. Despite advanced medical care, many babies with severe CDH still face significant challenges, and we don't fully understand why their lungs are so underdeveloped. This project will create models to explore the basic biological signals that guide lung growth and how they are disrupted in CDH. By focusing on specific pathways like YAP/TAZ and FGF10, we hope to learn more about the underlying causes of poor lung development.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to improve lung development and outcomes for babies born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific mechanisms of YAP/TAZ and FGF10 in CDH lung hypoplasia are still being explored, these pathways are known to be important in general lung development.
Where this research is happening
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Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kunisaki, Shaun Michael — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Kunisaki, Shaun Michael
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Inhaled Nitric Oxide for Babies with CDH
A multi-center study tests whether stopping routine use of inhaled nitric oxide in newborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia is safe and effective so care can be simpler and potentially better.
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Fetal tracheal aspirates to guide CDH therapies and timing for lung growth
A researcher is studying fetal tracheal samples from babies with congenital diaphragmatic hernia to figure out which treatments and timing could help their lungs grow better.
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Integrating growth models and preclinical data to improve CDH patch repair
A study to help babies with congenital diaphragmatic hernia by improving how surgical patches interact with growing tissues.
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Extracellular vesicles to boost fetal lung vessels in babies with diaphragmatic hernia
Aims to use tiny particles from stem cells to help growing lungs in babies with congenital diaphragmatic hernia before birth.
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Inhaled Nitric Oxide for CDH: A pragmatic, multi-center trial to guide care for newborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia
This trial tests whether stopping routine inhaled nitric oxide use after birth helps seriously ill newborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
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Finding genes that cause congenital diaphragmatic hernia
This project uses fast CRISPR gene-editing in mice to find which genetic changes are responsible for congenital diaphragmatic hernia in babies.
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.