Why some smokers develop COPD: the role of genes and proteins
COPD Susceptibility, Heterogeneity, and Progression: Proteomics and Genetics
Looks at genes and proteins in lung tissue and blood from people with and without COPD to find markers linked to who gets COPD and what type they have.
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-11129772 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have COPD, researchers will examine lung tissue and blood from people with and without COPD to find protein changes tied to the disease. They will measure thousands of proteins using mass spectrometry and Olink assays and compare those results with genetic data. Single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing will help identify which lung cell types are involved, and clinical and imaging data will be combined with protein networks to define COPD subtypes. Promising proteins found in lung tissue will be checked in plasma samples to see if they could be detected in blood.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with COPD, current or former smokers, and control individuals who have donated lung tissue or blood samples to participating tissue repositories would be the ideal contributors to this work.
Not a fit: Patients without available lung or blood samples, or whose COPD arises from causes not reflected in the measured proteins, may not directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to blood tests or markers that predict COPD risk, distinguish subtypes, and help tailor treatments to the right patients.
How similar studies have performed: Previous genetic and proteomic studies have identified some COPD-related markers, but this large lung-tissue proteomics approach combined with single-cell data and plasma verification is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Silverman, Edwin K — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Silverman, Edwin K
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.