Lung Biology and Disease Branch

The Acute Lung Injury and Critical Care Program supports research on pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention of acute lung injury, the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and other lung-related critical illnesses. Research topics include investigation of cellular responses to inflammation, fluid exudation and resorption, and interactions of coagulation pathways with inflammatory mediators in the lung. In addition, investigation of mechanisms of lung injury including innate immune responses, stretch and mechanically-induced damage, as well as oxidant, cytokine, and enzyme-induced molecular mediators. Research topics also include identification of candidate genes and genetic factors predisposing to acute lung injury and ARDS, and the biology of lung injury resolution and lung repair. The program also supports the development of new diagnostic tools for detection of acute lung injury, artificial lung development, implementation research, and clinical trials of therapies for ARDS and lung-related critical care initiated by investigators or by the NHLBI PETAL Network. View funding information for the Acute Lung Injury and Critical Care Program.

Contact: Guofei Zhou, Ph.D., Program Director, guofei.zhou@nih.gov

Contact: Christian Gomez, Ph.D., Program Director, christian.gomez@nih.gov

The Granulomatous and Interstitial Lung Disease Program supports research on the genetic predisposition, risk factors, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of interstitial lung diseases including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), occupational and environmental lung diseases, as well as lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). This program also supports research on non-infectious granulomatous diseases including sarcoidosis, berylliosis, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Research areas include investigations into the role that genetics, epithelial and mesenchymal cells, extracellular matrix components, and immune and inflammatory mediators have in initiating or regulating the development of interstitial lung disease. This program also supports clinical studies to establish well-phenotyped patient cohorts, assess the safety and efficacy of interventional treatments, and validate the use of biomarkers and clinical endpoints to monitor disease onset and progression. View funding information for the Granulomatous and Interstitial Lung Disease Program.
 

Contact: Louis Vuga, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., Program Director, louis.vuga@nih.gov

Contact: Christian Gomez, Ph.D., Program Director christian.gomez@nih.gov

The Lung Developmental Biology program supports research on the processes of lung growth and morphogenesis; temporal/spatial relationships of molecular determinants of lung development; the genes and molecules that regulate lung development, growth, and regeneration; lung cell biology, and identification and understanding of the therapeutic potential for lung stem/progenitor cells. View funding information for the Lung Development and Regenerative Biology Program.

The Lung Response to Pulmonary Infections, Microbiome, and AIDS Program supports research on the course and pulmonary manifestations of HIV infection, the manifestations of lung disease in people living with HIV, as well as the lung responses to a variety of pathogens that cause pneumonia. Specific research areas include investigations of cellular and molecular interactions between the infectious agents and lung cells, immune mechanisms important in the pulmonary pathophysiology of pneumonia, HIV and associated opportunistic infections, targeted delivery of therapeutic agents, and behavioral interventions. The program also aims to promote microbiome studies to address questions relevant to the NHLBI mission, such as how microbial dysbiosis contributes to pulmonary health or disease; or how the host microbiome, their expressed genes, and their metabolites may directly affect lung development, health, and disease. View funding information for the Lung Response to Pulmonary Infections, Microbiome, and HIV/AIDS Program.

Contact: Emmanuel Mongodin, Ph.D., Program Director, emmanuel.mongodin@nih.gov

Contact: Lauren Byrd-Leotis, Ph.D., Program Director, lauren.byrd-leotis@nih.gov

The Lung Transplantation Program supports basic and clinical studies in lung transplantation including research focused on the immunologic determinants of acute cellular and antibody mediated rejection, factors that contribute to primary graft dysfunction, and aspects of chronic lung allograft dysfunction including bronchiolitis obliterans and restrictive allograft syndromes. This program also supports the study of donor and recipient interventions, assessment methods, surgical approaches, and clinical management strategies that seek to improve patient outcomes. View funding information for the Lung Transplantation Program.

The Lung Vascular Biology Program supports investigations of pulmonary vascular biology and disease. Research topics include the etiology, pathogenesis, and pharmacogenetics of pulmonary hypertension and associated right ventricular disease, prospective studies of pulmonary embolism pathogenesis and diagnosis, and molecular and physiologic regulation of the pulmonary vasculature and lymphatics. The program also includes research on the regulation of the barrier function of pulmonary endothelial cells and regulation of lung permeability and fluid balance. View funding information for the Lung Vascular Biology Program.

Contact: Lei Xiao, M.D., Ph.D., Program Director, lei.xiao@nih.gov

Contact: Roy Sutliff, Ph.D., Program Director, roy.sutliff@nih.gov

The Neonatal and Pediatric Lung Disease / Critical Care program supports research in pulmonary health and disease in neonates, infants, and children, including lung disease of prematurity; congenital and developmental anomalies of the central airways and the lung; ventilatory control; neonatal and pediatric pulmonary vascular disease; chronic respiratory insufficiency and ventilator dependence due to neuromuscular disease; bronchiolitis in infancy; ARDS; pulmonary surveillance. View funding information for the Neonatal and Pediatric Lung Disease / Critical Care Program. View funding information for the Neonatal and Pediatric Lung Disease / Critical Care Program.
 

Contact: Aruna Natarajan, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.A.P., Program Director, aruna.natarajan@nih.gov

Contact: Beena Sood, M.D., M.S., F.A.A.P., Program Director, beena.sood@nih.gov

Training programs in lung biology and disease covers training and career development programs for all major research areas covered by the Lung Biology and Disease Branch. Training and career development programs include institutional and individual programs for training of promising pulmonary researchers at the high school, undergraduate, predoctoral, postdoctoral, junior faculty, and established investigator levels. Research areas include: pulmonary hypertension, lung development and regeneration, acute lung injury and critical care, pulmonary fibrosis and other interstitial lung diseases, rare lung diseases, lung transplantation, and lung responses to HIV/AIDS and other infections. View funding information for the NHLBI’s training programs.

Contact: Roya Kalantari, Ph.D., Program Director, roya.kalantari@nih.gov

Contact: Marisol Espinoza-Pintucci, Ph.D., Program Director, marisol.espinoza-pintucci@nih.gov