Preclinical development of a synthetic lung surfactant dry powder aerosol for hypoxemia or acute respiratory distress syndrome patients receiving different modes of ventilation support

Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA

Investigators

Abstract

Project Abstract This project is a training plan request for a Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research. This supplement is to the current award,1R01HL164508-01A1 “Preclinical development of a synthetic lung surfactant dry powder aerosol for hypoxemia or acute respiratory distress syndrome patients receiving different modes of ventilation support”. In this supplement, the PI and Co-Is on the parent award will co-mentor a female, African American, PhD student enrolled in the VCU Pharmaceutical Engineering Program. The team has experience mentoring students from diverse backgrounds, and they have worked with the student to develop a training plan within the scope of the parent award. The student’s research training goals will be to investigate the role of nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in the lung injury and systemic inflammation following ventilator induced lung injury (VILI) with and without treatment with our novel therapeutic. In the first aim, she will Evaluate lung and systemic inflammation metrics and histology for the spray-dried surfactant aerosol formulations in rat VILI model. In the second aim, she will test a dual therapeutic with the leading aerosolized surfactant formulation combined with an NLRP3 inflammasome small molecule inhibitor in reducing inflammation in the rat VILI model. Through these research goals and related training and mentoring, the student will achieve a skillset that will prepare her for a research career in the pharmaceutical industry.