Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Iowa received a $783,781 Project Grant award dated June 15, 2026, from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837). The research project, "The Role of Residential Bioaerosol Exposure in Pulmonary Sarcoidosis," will investigate the relationship between residential bioaerosol exposure and the development of severe pulmonary sarcoidosis, a rare systemic inflammatory disease affecting approximately 90% of patients' lungs with one-third progressing to severe disease potentially requiring lung transplantation. The performance period extends through March 31, 2031.

The research will be conducted across three specific aims designed to characterize residential bioaerosol composition in sarcoidosis patients and controls, determine associations between bioaerosol exposure and clinical outcomes through analysis of lung function and computed tomography imaging, identify immune dysregulation mechanisms through serum biomarker and immune cell profiling in relation to residential bioaerosol exposure, and assess airway mechanisms linking environmental exposure to pulmonary disease. This research directly addresses the grant program's objective of fostering basic and translational science investigations into disease pathogenesis, with potential to advance understanding of environmental triggers in pulmonary sarcoidosis and improve prevention and treatment strategies.