Project Grant K99HL185935

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute awarded a $157,658 Project Grant to the University of Pennsylvania effective June 15, 2026, under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837) to support research through May 31, 2028. This award funds a K99/R00 career development project investigating the mechanical regulation of the lung gas exchange interface, specifically examining how mechanical forces during breathing influence cellular behavior within the alveoli.

The research will elucidate molecular mechanisms governing the specification and maintenance of mechanically induced capillary endothelial cells (miCAPs) identified through a novel reversible bronchial ligation model in mice. During the K99 training phase, the investigator will define the molecular drivers of miCAP fate at the University of Pennsylvania's research facilities. During the subsequent R00 phase, the project will leverage newly developed transgenic mouse lines to conduct lineage tracing studies examining how mechanically sensitive cells respond to pathological mechanical forces during acute lung injury. Completion of these research aims is expected to provide critical insights into how mechanical forces regulate lung structure and function, with implications for understanding acute lung injury and other mechanical disruption-related lung diseases.