Understanding the molecular roots of long-term lung scarring
Official title: Unraveling the molecular origins of chronic parenchymal lung diseases
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11178774 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project maps cells and signals in damaged adult lungs to find early molecular targets that might stop or reverse scarring in chronic lung disease.
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 | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $921,570 |
| NIH project number | 5U01HL175444-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11178774 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with chronic parenchymal lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis or adults with a history of lung developmental injury (e.g., bronchopulmonary dysplasia) who can donate tissue or participate at Vanderbilt or partner sites are the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without chronic parenchymal lung disease, children under age 21, or those seeking immediate treatment for acute lung infections are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this grant's activities.
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, researchers will build a three-dimensional, cell-by-cell map of diseased lung tissue using human samples and single-cell genomic tools. They will focus on the alveolar niche where specialized cells are lost in conditions like pulmonary fibrosis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. By keeping the spatial relationships between cells, the team aims to uncover how cell–cell signals go wrong and lead to progressive scarring. The work is designed to point to molecular targets present early in disease that could be stabilized or reversed to preserve lung function.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify early targets for therapies that slow, stop, or reverse lung scarring before severe loss of lung function occurs.
How similar studies have gone: Single-cell genomic studies have already revealed important cellular changes in end-stage lung disease, but combining those data into a spatial 3D atlas and linking them to early, targetable molecular changes is a newer and still-emerging approach.
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
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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.