# Leveraging Serum Metabolomics to Understand Clinical Phenotypes in COPD

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2021 · $174,960

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is prevalent, costly and associated with high morbidity and
mortality. It is also a remarkably heterogeneous condition with regards to both its pulmonary and systemic
manifestations. The mechanistic underpinnings of this heterogeneity remain poorly understood and treatment
approaches for patients with COPD are still mostly the same. Metabolomics is the large-scale study of low
molecular weight compounds, commonly known as metabolites, within cells, tissues or biological fluids.
Preliminary data suggest that specific metabolomics profiles are associated with poor clinical outcomes in
COPD and may reveal unique insights into disease heterogeneity. Such investigations could ultimately lead to
the development of new therapeutic approaches which are sorely needed. However, the potential of
metabolomics remains largely untapped in COPD. This K23 mentored career development application
proposes a coordinated 5-year training and research plan to allow Wassim Labaki, MD, MS to achieve his
long-term goal of becoming an independent physician-scientist. His scientific focus will be on patient-oriented
clinical and translational COPD research, specifically in the field of metabolomics. Dr. Labaki will be mentored
and advised by experts not only in metabolomics, but also bioinformatics and clinical research to help him
hone such skills during the award period. His training plan will include advanced coursework at the University
of Michigan School of Public Health and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, further
supplemented by hands-on practical experience in the metabolomics laboratories at the University of Michigan
and regular participation in various national and institutional workshops and conferences. This application will
take advantage of the clinically well-characterized NIH-funded SPIROMICS COPD cohort to identify
mechanistic metabolic pathways involved in COPD pathogenesis and progression that could be intervened
upon early in the disease course. The specific Aims of this project are to: 1) define the serum metabolomics
profiles associated with COPD phenotypes, especially the frequent exacerbator phenotype; 2) determine the
relationship between longitudinal changes in the serum metabolome and progression of COPD over 5 years of
follow-up; and 3) investigate the impact of reduction in hyperinflation via lung volume reduction surgery on the
serum metabolome. The work planned in this proposal leverages the unique infrastructure and expertise of the
Michigan Regional Comprehensive Metabolomics Resource Core at the University of Michigan. The
preliminary data and rigorous training acquired through the successful completion of this proposal will position
Dr. Labaki to lead targeted metabolomics validation studies and clinical trials in future R01 applications.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10207767
- **Project number:** 5K23HL151751-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Wassim W Labaki
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $174,960
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10207767

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10207767, Leveraging Serum Metabolomics to Understand Clinical Phenotypes in COPD (5K23HL151751-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10207767. Licensed CC0.

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