Federal Grant Award Summary

St. John's University, New York received a $562,500 Project Grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837), awarded July 15, 2026, with completion targeted for June 30, 2029. The RESPOND project delivers an artificial intelligence-driven drug repurposing platform designed to identify FDA-approved drugs with potential efficacy against Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). The hybrid neuro-symbolic AI system analyzes biomedical datasets including drug information, disease pathways, and genetic factors to identify candidate drugs targeting specific biological pathways known to drive these progressive lung diseases.

The project produces laboratory and animal study results evaluating the effectiveness of promising drug candidates in slowing disease progression, with findings intended to establish a replicable framework for accelerating AI-driven drug discovery in complex diseases. The grant incorporates a substantial research training component, providing undergraduate students with comprehensive involvement in data analysis, experimental testing, and scientific communication across all project phases. The ultimate deliverables are improved treatment options for PAH and IPF patients and a validated methodology for applying artificial intelligence to accelerated drug discovery in other complex pulmonary and cardiovascular conditions.