Why viral infections worsen non‑type‑2 asthma in children and adults

Project-002

NIH-funded research University of Washington · NIH-11327273

This project looks at how common cold viruses change airway cells from children and adults with non‑type‑2 asthma to find new treatment targets.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Washington NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Seattle, United States)
Project IDNIH-11327273 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Researchers will collect bronchial airway epithelial cells from well-characterized children and adults with and without asthma. They will grow these cells in organotypic ex vivo airway models and expose them to rhinovirus to measure interferons and non‑T2 cytokines such as IL‑1β, TNF‑α, IL‑17C, and G‑CSF. The team will compare responses between non‑T2 and T2‑high donors to understand how the epithelium drives viral-triggered exacerbations, persistent inflammation, and changes in lung function. Results are intended to identify epithelial mechanisms that could be targeted by new therapies for non‑T2 asthma.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal participants are children and adults with non‑T2 asthma who have poor control or frequent viral-triggered exacerbations and are willing to provide bronchial airway samples.

Not a fit: People whose asthma is well controlled by current type‑2 targeted biologics or who have unrelated lung diseases are less likely to benefit directly.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: Could point to new treatments that prevent or lessen virus-triggered asthma attacks in people with non‑T2 asthma.

How similar studies have performed: Previous work has found altered interferon and cytokine responses in asthma, but applying organotypic airway models to pinpoint epithelial drivers in non‑T2 asthma is relatively new.

Where this research is happening

Seattle, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.