Project Grant R01HL189279

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute awarded Northwestern University a project grant of $793,976 on September 1, 2026, under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837) to investigate bone morphogenetic protein and connexin40 signaling as regulators of endothelial quiescence in lung transplantation.

The research addresses primary graft dysfunction, an acute lung injury driven by ischemia-reperfusion injury that limits lung transplantation success. The project will define the endothelial-specific roles of BMP9 and connexin40 in regulating alveolar-capillary barrier integrity during lung transplantation, using murine, human alveolus-on-chip, and porcine models. Preliminary data demonstrate that bone morphogenetic protein signaling and connexin40 expression are suppressed early after transplantation, correlating with decreased SMAD phosphorylation, increased vascular permeability, and heightened inflammation. The recipient will test whether administration of recombinant BMP9 restores SMAD signaling, upregulates connexin40, and reduces graft injury to establish BMP signaling as a mechanism maintaining pulmonary endothelial quiescence and preventing primary graft dysfunction.

Northwestern University's Sponsored Research Division is the recipient. Performance occurs in Chicago, Illinois from September 1, 2026 through May 31, 2030. The assistance type is a Project Grant.