Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) awarded Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai a Project Grant of $873,801 under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837), effective June 1, 2026, with completion scheduled for February 28, 2031. The award funds research investigating epithelial reprogramming mechanisms that distinguish normal (euplastic) versus abnormal (dysplastic) lung repair processes. The research specifically addresses how epithelial stem cells in the lung respond differently during acute versus chronic injuries, with particular focus on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic restrictive lung disease. The project will examine the signaling mechanisms—including growth factor pathways such as NRG1/ERBB3/STAT3—that control whether stem cells progress toward functional alveolar epithelial cells or aberrant dysplastic cell states associated with pathologic fibrotic remodeling.

This basic and translational research initiative contributes to the NHLBI's broader mission to promote prevention and treatment of heart, lung, and blood diseases through competitive, peer-reviewed research grants. The findings are expected to advance understanding of regenerative failure in chronic lung diseases and may inform therapeutic strategies to promote normal repair pathways over fibrotic ones, thereby supporting improved treatment approaches for IPF and related conditions.