# Nasal Microbiome and Host Immunity in Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2020 · $648

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Dr. Rhee's long-term career goal is to become an independent investigator in patient-oriented clinical and
translational research dedicated to improving the lives of patients with vasculitis. She will build upon her
current skills in clinical epidemiology and gain critical experience in the conduct of prospective patient-oriented
research, use of deep sequencing methods, and implementation of bioinformatics and advanced epidemiologic
methods. Through the K23 award, the execution of the proposed study, and career development activities, Dr.
Rhee will acquire the skills and training needed to make important scientific advances in rheumatology.
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA; Wegener's) is a systemic granulomatous vasculitis which often affects
the upper respiratory tract and frequently relapses. Prior studies demonstrated that microbes in the nares are
associated with relapse in GPA but these studies relied on culture-dependent approaches. Advances in high-
throughput sequencing and the development of new tools for analyzing metagenomic data now allow for a
better understanding of the complex relationship between the dynamic community of microbes that occupy our
mucosal tissues and the host's immune system. We hypothesize that patients with GPA have greater dysbiosis
(disruption in indigenous microbiota) in the nares compared to controls and that greater dysbiosis is associated
with disease activity in GPA, mediated by an increase in neutrophil activity (a key pathogenic cell in GPA). The
Specific Aims are: 1) compare the nasal microbiome between patients with GPA versus controls, and 2)
examine longitudinal changes in the nasal microbial composition of patients with GPA and the
association of these changes with gene expression profiles in the nasal epithelium and clinical
outcomes. A better understanding of the complex microbial interactions with the mucosal immune system in
GPA can advance our understanding of the pathophysiology of GPA, help predict future relapse, and inform
the development of novel therapeutics. Findings from this study will be applied to applications for funding (R01
and others) to perform large-scale studies of host-microbe interactions in GPA.
In order to successfully execute the proposed study and develop a career studying host-microbe interactions in
rheumatic diseases, Dr. Rhee and her mentors have formed a comprehensive career development plan which
draws upon the expertise of her mentors and the rich resources available at Penn. Dr. Rhee will engage in
formal didactics including completion of the Biomedical Informatics Certificate Program, participate in relevant
seminars and conferences, and devote at least 75% of her effort to research. Guided by expert mentors and
collaborators, the research and training activities outlined in this application will enable Dr. Rhee to grow from
an observational epidemiologist into an independent patient-oriented clinical and translational researcher,
equipping ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10076030
- **Project number:** 3K23AR071514-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Rennie Rhee
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $648
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2017-07-03 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10076030

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10076030, Nasal Microbiome and Host Immunity in Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (3K23AR071514-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10076030. Licensed CC0.

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