Understanding the cellular causes of chronic lung diseases
Official title: Unraveling the molecular origins of chronic parenchymal lung diseases
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-10975485 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how the cells in your lungs work together and change when you have chronic lung diseases like pulmonary fibrosis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, with the goal of finding new ways to help improve lung health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $940,320 |
| NIH project number | 1U01HL175444-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10975485 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals diagnosed with chronic lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis or bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with acute lung conditions or those without chronic lung diseases may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the cellular organization and changes in the human lung that contribute to chronic lung diseases like pulmonary fibrosis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. By using advanced single-cell genomic techniques, the study aims to create a detailed molecular atlas that maps the cellular interactions and signaling pathways involved in these diseases. The researchers will focus on how disruptions in cell communication within the lung's specialized environments lead to disease progression. This approach seeks to identify early molecular targets that could be stabilized or reversed to improve lung health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that stabilize or reverse chronic lung diseases, improving patient outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research using single-cell genomic studies has shown promise in understanding lung diseases, indicating that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kropski, Jonathan Andrew — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Kropski, Jonathan Andrew
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Clinical readiness for rare lung diseases (RLDC)
A group at the University of Cincinnati is building a program to speed up care for people with rare lung diseases by tracking patients over time, improving tests and treatments, and sharing information with patients and clinicians.
-
Epithelial cells trigger fibroblast activation in lung fibrosis through CTHRC1-TGFb signaling
A clinician-scientist at Duke is studying how lung lining cells may turn normal fibroblasts into fibrosis-causing cells, aiming to uncover new targets for treatment of diseases like BO and IPF.
-
Molecular origins of chronic lung diseases in the human lung
Researchers are mapping the tiny cell neighborhoods in diseased lungs to find early clues that could protect or restore normal lung function.
-
How lung cells and their surroundings drive fibrosis in interstitial lung diseases
A study to understand how airway cells, surrounding tissue, and their environment contribute to progressive scarring in interstitial lung diseases.
-
Loss of Cilia Maintenance in Acquired and Genetic Lung Diseases
Researchers are studying why tiny hair-like structures in the lungs lose their maintenance and how this affects people with asthma, COPD, and related airway diseases.
-
CMKLR1-targeted imaging to map lung inflammation in ALI and fibrotic lung diseases
A study to test a new PET imaging tool that targets CMKLR1 to visualize lung inflammation and help predict and monitor disease progression in patients with acute lung injury and fibrotic lung diseases.
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.