# Mentoring patient-oriented researchers in inflammatory airway disease

> **NIH NIH K24** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2022 · $193,694

## Abstract

Abstract
 The overall goal of the proposed research is to identify novel aspects of human innate lymphoid
cell (ILC) biology in airway diseases using patient-oriented research (POR) and through mentoring junior
clinical investigators. The candidate has a strong record of mentoring individuals at many levels including
clinical investigators in multiple specialties. The mentoring plan includes recruitment and training of fellow
and faculty investigators from three disciplines (allergy, otolaryngology, and pulmonary) within the UCSD
Center for Asthma and Sinus Disease center of excellence to foster the careers of junior investigators
and perform outstanding POR. There are currently large gaps in our understanding of the roles of ILCs
in human sinus disease and asthma which cause significant morbidity worldwide. ILCs are divided by
the types of cytokines they secrete and ILC2s that secrete Th2 cytokines have been shown to promote
airway inflammation in animal models. Importantly, recent work has shown that ILC2s are increased in
samples from patients with asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Our group was the first to show
that ILC2s are increased in a subgroup of nasal polyps in CRS that contain eosinophils and are also
recruited to the nose after aspirin challenge in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease
(AERD). AERD patients have severe sinus disease with nasal polyps, moderate to severe asthma, and
respiratory reactions to aspirin and similar compounds. In the current proposal, we will test the hypothesis
that through the use of cutting-edge technology (single cell RNA-seq) we will be able to identify specific
subgroups or “endotypes” of patients with CRS and asthma by tissue and blood ILC subset composition.
We also posit that biologic blockade of type 2 inflammation in AERD, asthma and CRS patients will
reduce ILC2 recruitment to the airway. Critically, this award will provide protected time for POR in sinus
disease and asthma and allow for outstanding mentorship of the next generations of POR investigators.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10515489
- **Project number:** 1K24AI171795-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** TAYLOR A DOHERTY
- **Activity code:** K24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $193,694
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-07-01 → 2027-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10515489

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10515489, Mentoring patient-oriented researchers in inflammatory airway disease (1K24AI171795-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10515489. Licensed CC0.

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