Understanding muscle wasting in ARDS and how IL-6 and immune cells drive it
Official title: Mechanisms of Muscle Wasting in ARDS: The Role of IL-6 and Mononuclear Phagocytes
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11351491 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A doctor-scientist-led project will explore whether IL-6 and immune cells called monocytes and macrophages cause early muscle weakness in ARDS, with the goal of finding new ways to protect muscles.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $154,660 |
| NIH project number | 1K08HL185928-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11351491 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with or at risk for ARDS who may later benefit from therapies developed through this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without ARDS or with conditions unrelated to muscle wasting may not benefit from this specific study.
What this research studies
This grant supports translational research on ARDS, a condition that can cause long-term muscle weakness. The team will study how IL-6 signaling and monocytes/macrophages contribute to muscle wasting in ARDS using both in vivo and in vitro models. They plan to test whether reducing IL-6 signaling or inhibiting CSF1R to temper immune cell activity can lessen muscle loss. The work aims to build toward new therapeutic strategies that could benefit patients recovering from ARDS.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to therapies that protect muscle strength in people recovering from ARDS.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies in similar models have shown that immune signaling can influence muscle wasting, supporting the rationale for this work.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krall, Jennifer Thi Wing — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Krall, Jennifer Thi Wing
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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.