Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Northwestern University received a $1.59M Project Grant award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837), effective June 25, 2026, with completion targeted for May 31, 2028. The award funds basic research investigating disordered mitochondrial proteostasis and its role in impairing alveolar epithelial repair in aging lungs. The research seeks to elucidate mechanistic pathways explaining worsened lung injury and delayed recovery from viral pneumonia in elderly populations—a particularly relevant objective given pneumonia's disproportionate lethality among older adults, as underscored during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funded research employs single-cell RNA-sequencing and murine model systems to characterize the relationship between mitochondrial complex I dysfunction, alterations in cellular metabolism (NADH/NAD+ ratios), and pathologic activation of the integrated stress response during alveolar epithelial type 2 (AT2) to type 1 (AT1) cell differentiation. Preliminary findings indicate that loss of mitochondrial complex I function in AT2 cells leads to progressive fatal lung fibrosis, supporting the hypothesis that age-related mitochondrial dysfunction impairs lung recovery mechanisms. The deliverables include research outputs, scientific publications, and mechanistic insights intended to inform future therapeutic interventions targeting age-related lung disease pathology.