Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Pennsylvania received $1.62M in federal funding from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837) for a project grant awarded June 25, 2026, with completion targeted for May 31, 2028. This research project investigates the mechanisms governing dysplastic versus euplastic (normal) tissue repair in the lung following acute injury. The study focuses on understanding how basal stem cells migrate into and disrupt the alveolar niche, creating an injury-induced tissue niche (ITCH) that promotes pathological repair pathways associated with chronic diseases including emphysema, fibrosis, and post-COVID-19 fibrosis. Researchers will examine the role of signaling pathways—particularly Notch and Wnt signaling—in mediating these repair outcomes and evaluate whether ITCH formation could serve as a biomarker for lung diseases.

The deliverables include mechanistic research findings on how signaling rewiring between lung cell lineages determines repair trajectory, with potential applications for understanding chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and fibrotic lung conditions. The project is conducted at the University of Pennsylvania's Philadelphia campus and contributes to NHLBI's broader portfolio of hypothesis-driven research spanning basic, translational, and clinical sciences in cardiovascular and pulmonary pathology.