# Genetic Epidemiology of Respiratory Function in Former Preterm Children

> **NIH NIH K23** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2022 · $193,767

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
RESEARCH: The goal of this proposal is to investigate the clinical and genetic predictors of childhood
respiratory disease in former preterm infants. We hypothesize that bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), poor
somatic growth, smoke exposure, and genetic variants will be associated with reduced lung growth and
obstructive lung disease in former preterm infants. Furthermore, network analysis will reveal shared biology
between BPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma. The specific aims expand an
existing patient registry, including over 780 former preterm infants with and without BPD who are followed at
the Center for Healthy Infant Lung Development at Boston Children’s Hospital. This will include obtaining
longitudinal lung function measures and survey data on smoke exposure, as well as initiating a DNA bank of
buccal swab specimens. We will perform genome-wide genotyping, and examine specific associations with 48
single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) known to be associated with COPD and lung function. We will
leverage existing data from other populations with poor lung growth, and respiratory diseases including BPD,
asthma, and COPD, to identify networks and pathways that may define lifelong susceptibility to reduced lung
growth and obstructive lung disease, ultimately influencing prognosis, outcomes, and treatment response. This
work will stimulate basic discoveries about the causes of BPD and COPD, and enable the translation of these
discoveries into clinical practice.
CANDIDATE: Lystra P. Hayden, MD, MMSc is a pediatric pulmonologist, Instructor of Pediatrics at Harvard
Medical School (HMS) in the Division of Respiratory Disease of Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) and an
Associate Physician at the Channing Division of Network Medicine (CDNM) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital
(BWH). She received a Master’s of Medical Science in Biomedical Informatics from HMS. At the CDNM she
has been pursing epidemiologic and genomic investigations into the early origins of complex respiratory
diseases, specifically COPD, with particular interest in the influences of smoke exposure, pneumonia, asthma
and prematurity. Dr. Hayden plans to develop her career in the field of academic pediatric pulmonology as an
independent researcher using genomics to elucidate the early origins of pulmonary disease with a focus on
BPD, a population which may progress to future COPD patients.
ENVIRONMENT: Dr. Hayden will perform her research and career development at the CDNM of BWH, and
her clinical work, including subject recruitment, at The Center for Healthy Infant Lung Development in the
Division of Respiratory Diseases at BCH. She will be mentored by Craig P. Hersh, MD, MPH, and Edwin K.
Silverman, MD, PhD, both leaders in the field of COPD genetic epidemiology and experts in clinical research
with excellent track records of mentoring young investigators towards independent research careers.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10318563
- **Project number:** 5K23HL136851-05
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Lystra P. Hayden
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $193,767
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-01-15 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10318563

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10318563, Genetic Epidemiology of Respiratory Function in Former Preterm Children (5K23HL136851-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10318563. Licensed CC0.

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