Wildfire smoke near homes and heart and lung health
Cardiopulmonary Risk Assessment from Smoke Exposure at the Wildland Urban Interface
This project looks at how smoke from wildfires near homes harms adults' lungs and hearts by recreating the smoke and measuring its effects.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northeastern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11229610 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will recreate the mix of gases and tiny particles found in wildland-urban interface (WUI) smoke in the laboratory and measure the smoke's chemical and particle make-up. They will expose animals to those smoke aerosols under different durations and frequencies to mirror real-world exposures. The team will measure lung function, inflammation, and changes to blood vessels and the heart to see how repeated smoke exposure can lead to obstructive lung disease or atherosclerosis. Findings will link specific smoke features and exposure patterns to the kinds of heart and lung damage seen in people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who live near wildland-urban interface areas or people with existing heart or lung conditions are most likely to benefit from the findings and could be candidates for future related human studies.
Not a fit: People who are not exposed to wildfire smoke or whose conditions are unrelated to cardiopulmonary or pollution-driven illness may not see direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify how wildfire smoke causes heart and lung disease and guide better protections, warnings, and treatments for people exposed at the wildland-urban interface.
How similar studies have performed: Epidemiological and some animal studies have already linked wildfire smoke to respiratory and cardiovascular harm, but linking specific smoke chemistry and exposure patterns to disease outcomes is still being developed.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Northeastern University — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Oakes, Jessica M — Northeastern University
- Study coordinator: Oakes, Jessica M
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.