What makes mast cells increase and change in inflamed airways
Determining drivers of mast cell expansion and function during human airway disease
Researchers are looking at how immune cells called mast cells grow and change in people with asthma and nasal polyps to help reduce airway inflammation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11127635 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will work with human airway tissue and cells to see how structural cells in the airway, like epithelial cells and fibroblasts, signal to mast cell progenitors and drive them to multiply and become different mast cell subtypes. They will compare tissue from inflamed airways (for example, from people with asthma or nasal polyps) to non-inflamed tissue and study the secreted signals and gene networks that control mast cell behavior. Laboratory experiments will follow up on signals found in patient samples to show which factors make progenitors proliferate or adopt specific enzyme patterns. The goal is to map the pathways that cause mast cell buildup and identity in human airways.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with airway inflammatory conditions such as asthma or chronic nasal polyposis who may provide tissue samples or participate in related clinical protocols.
Not a fit: People without airway inflammation or with unrelated medical conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from this mechanistic research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new targets to reduce mast cell-driven airway inflammation and improve symptoms for people with asthma and nasal polyps.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked mast cells to airway disease, but this focused approach on progenitor recruitment and the transcriptional control of mast cell subtypes is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dwyer, Daniel F — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Dwyer, Daniel F
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 below.