What causes lung granulomas in chronic beryllium disease
Official title: Using Multi-Omics to Define Regulators and Drivers of Granulomatous Inflammation and Chronic Beryllium Disease
Funded at National Jewish Health · NIH-11238418 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are using genetic and molecular tests to find what triggers the harmful lung inflammation after beryllium exposure in people with or at risk for chronic beryllium disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Jewish Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Denver, United States) |
| Project start | February 9, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $556,630 |
| NIH project number | 5R01ES033678-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11238418 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with confirmed chronic beryllium disease or beryllium sensitization and a history of beryllium exposure who can provide blood and/or lung samples.
✕Less likely to help
People without beryllium exposure or with unrelated lung diseases are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will compare immune cells from people with chronic beryllium disease, those who are sensitized to beryllium, and exposed people without disease to see what makes some develop granulomas. They will use multiple molecular methods (DNA, RNA, chromatin accessibility and other 'multi-omics' tests) on blood and lung samples to find key genes and regulatory signals. The team will pay special attention to HLA-DPB1 genetic variants and epigenetic changes that may change how immune cells respond to beryllium. Findings will be integrated to map cell-specific pathways and potential markers that explain why some exposed people get sick while others do not.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could identify biomarkers and molecular targets that help diagnose, predict, or eventually treat chronic beryllium disease.
How similar studies have gone: Multi-omics and epigenetic approaches have revealed disease drivers in other immune-mediated lung conditions, but applying them specifically to chronic beryllium disease is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
National Jewish Health
Denver, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Maier, Lisa a — National Jewish Health
- Study coordinator: Maier, Lisa a
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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.