Federal Grant Award Summary

Saint Louis University received a $617,477 Project Grant award from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837), effective July 16, 2026, with completion scheduled for April 30, 2030. The award funds research to identify mechanisms of plasmalogen dysregulation during sepsis and develop therapeutic interventions targeting this condition. The project investigates how oxidative stress during sepsis depletes protective phospholipids called plasmalogens in the endothelium and examines whether specific plasmalogen species—particularly plasmenylcholine (PLPC) and plasmenylethanolamine (PLPE)—can be leveraged for sepsis prognostication and treatment. Research outputs will include mechanistic studies establishing the relationship between plasma plasmalogen dysregulation and sepsis outcomes, biomarker validation linking specific plasmalogen molecular species to mortality risk, and pre-clinical evidence supporting the protective effects of targeted plasmalogen species against oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in endothelial cells.

This research addresses a significant clinical need, as sepsis affects approximately one million patients annually in the United States and remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality through vascular collapse and multi-organ failure. The award supports hypothesis-driven investigation consistent with NHLBI's portfolio focus on basic and translational cardiovascular science, with preliminary human pilot data demonstrating low circulating plasmalogen levels at intensive care unit admission and associations with patient mortality outcomes.