# Patient Sampling and Genomics Core

> **NIH NIH P01** · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO · 2021 · $370,938

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
A critical translational component of this Program Project involves the correlative analysis of macrophages (Mφ)
isolated from critically ill patients suffering from sepsis, pneumonia, and other acute insults that result in the
devastating clinical syndrome of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). The Patient Sampling and
Genomics Core (Core D) will perform the central function of collecting these Mφ samples and establishing and
maintaining a clinical database of disease severity. Feasibility for obtaining sufficient samples for the proposed
studies will be greatly enhanced through extensive utilization of a non-bronchoscopic BAL (NBBAL) approach,
which results in diagnostic yields similar to bronchoscopic BAL and has an excellent safety profile in critically ill
patients requiring mechanical ventilation. In addition, blood will be collected for isolation of peripheral blood
mononuclear cells (PBMCs) for comparison with lung samples. Longitudinal samples will be collected from a
subset of patients. Additionally, Core D will provide biostatistical analysis on these clinical samples as well as
bioinformatic analysis on samples from all Projects, including bulk RNA-seq analysis, and single-cell RNA-seq
(scRNA-seq) processing and analysis, as described in the individual Projects. A spectrum of clinical severity will
be obtained to correlate disease outcomes with flow cytometric, transcriptomic, and functional analyses of Mφs,
focusing on pathways relevant to each of the four Projects.
 Innovative aspects of this Core include the following: a) development of an unique biorepository of lung
Mφ samples from patients with ARDS, including longitudinal samples from a subset of patients to characterize
changes in lung Mφ populations during the phases of ARDS; b) scRNA-seq analysis of patient lung Mφ,
representing a substantial methodological advance in Mφ analysis compared to other recent studies; c) extensive
utilization of the NBBAL approach to greatly enhance sample collection since it can be performed safely and
with high yield by respiratory therapists and fellow trainees; d) an integrated Core structure that combines patient
sample acquisition with biostatistical and bioinformatic expertise and resources to maximize efficient utilization
of these clinical data; e) sample collection from a diverse ICU patient population of under-represented and
insufficiently studied groups (30-40% African-American and 30-40% Hispanic/Latino patients). f) Comparison of
expression profiles in lung Mφ populations from ARDS patients with circulating PBMCs after removal of
lymphocytes, which will improve the reported poor correlation between these sample types; g) inclusion of
immune paralysis as phenotypic characterization of patient samples, which has not been evaluated in past
studies of ARDS AMφ clinical samples; h) enhanced focus on sepsis and pneumonia-induced ARDS as the
primary etiologies characterized by intensive lung Mφ analysis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10170862
- **Project number:** 1P01HL151327-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** STEVEN M DUDEK
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $370,938
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-20 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10170862

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10170862, Patient Sampling and Genomics Core (1P01HL151327-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-10 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10170862. Licensed CC0.

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