Obstructive Lung Diseases Branch

The Asthma Program supports research related to asthma, including the role of immunologic and nonimmunologic events and inflammation in the pathogenesis of asthma. Research focuses on inflammatory cells, mediators of inflammation (cytokines), and adhesion molecules; the genetics of asthma and atopy; airway remodeling and repair in asthma; immune development in young children who later develop asthma; the mechanisms of severe asthma; and differences in pathobiology among groups of asthma patients who respond differently to particular therapies. The program also supports research on the clinical management of asthma in adults and children, including the development of more precise, or individualized, treatment approaches. Other activities include health education research, demonstration and education projects on asthma management, and reducing health disparities in asthma outcomes. View funding information for the Asthma Program.

The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease/Environment Program supports research on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other diseases of the lung related to smoking or environmental exposures. Research areas focus on the management of COPD and the pathogenic mechanisms of the development and progression of COPD. The program is particularly interested in mechanisms of injury and repair in the lung, pathways involved in the regulation of airway mucous secretion, genetic determinants of lung disease, gene therapeutic approaches to treat lung disease, and the properties and health effects of air pollution, including determinants of individual susceptibility to pollution. Research also includes the pathogenesis of emphysema, lung disease associated with alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, and lung effects of exposure to nicotine and e-cigarettes. Clinical trials are testing a variety of existing and novel therapies. Applied studies are developing new methods of lung imaging by computed x-ray tomography or magnetic resonance imaging and are testing their ability to provide a better characterization of changes that occur in a lung with disease. A growing area of interest is health education research and demonstration and education projects on disease management. View funding information for the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease/Environment Program.

Contact: Antonello Punturieri, M.D., Ph.D., Program Director, punturieria@nhlbi.nih.gov

Contact: Lisa Postow, Ph.D., Program Director, lisa.postow@nih.gov

The Lung Cell Biology Program supports and promotes cutting-edge experimental approaches to investigate lung cellular function and dysfunction in a wide range of conditions. Emphasis is currently being placed on cell types and phenotypes across the lifespan. This program is also seeking to capitalize on the latest advances in single cell omics and data science to better understand cellular functions in the normal lung (progenitor cell differentiation, proteostasis, mitochondrial function, cytoskeletal function, etc.) and to determine how specific functions of lung cells are altered in particular pulmonary diseases. View funding information for the Lung Cell Biology Program.

Contact: Jining Lu, Ph.D., Program Director, jining.lu@nih.gov

Training programs in Pulmonary and Critical Care Research pertain to research training and career development programs for all major research areas of relevance to the Division of Lung Diseases. These training and career development programs include institutional and individual programs for promising pulmonary researchers at the high school, undergraduate, predoctoral, postdoctoral, junior faculty, and established investigator levels.  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