Understanding lung diseases by combining genetic data and big biobank information
Official title: Deciphering respiratory disease mechanisms through integration of genomic and functional data across massive global biobanks
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11414911 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A big research project will look at genes, health data, and other biological information from diverse people to better understand why COPD and asthma develop and vary across populations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $773,633 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL179112-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11414911 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are individuals with asthma or COPD or people who are part of large biobank programs like All of Us, Million Veteran Program, or UK Biobank who consented to genetic and health data research.
✕Less likely to help
Participants whose data contribute but who do not have asthma or COPD may still contribute to the broader understanding of respiratory disease risk.
What this research studies
This project will combine genetic data with environmental and health information from large biobank programs to find links between genes, environment, and respiratory disease. It will use multi-omic assays to connect genetic variants to how these diseases start and progress. The goal is to reveal shared and distinct factors in asthma and COPD, especially in groups that have been underrepresented in research. The study plans to analyze data from multiple biobanks to model complex interactions among risk factors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could lead to more personalized risk prediction and targeted therapies for asthma and COPD, improving prevention and treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked genetic variants to respiratory disease risk, and multi-ancestry analyses are expanding understanding beyond European populations.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Martin, Alicia — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Martin, Alicia
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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.