Project Grant R01HL164418

This federal Project Grant award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837), provides $721,826 to the Childrens Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio to conduct research on the transcription factor MEOX2 and its role in regulating alveolar fibroblast function. The research aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which MEOX2 regulates the differentiation and function of alveolar matrix and myofibroblasts, and how this impacts extracellular matrix organization and capillary network formation during alveolarization. The project will use in vitro cell-derived extracellular matrix assays and in vivo gain- and loss-of-function analyses to investigate the role of MEOX2 and paracrine signaling from fibroblasts in supporting postnatal angiogenesis. This research is expected to provide new insights into the regulation of alveolar fibroblast plasticity and function, which is critical for understanding the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants.