# Mentoring in Chronic Rhinosinusitis Pathophysiology and Mechanisms of Disease

> **NIH NIH K24** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2024 · $115,969

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common inflammatory disease that affects a large portion of the U.S.
population, resulting in poor quality of life for those affected and utilizing billions of dollars of health care
resources. Efforts in my lab have focused on understanding patterns of inflammatory heterogeneity in large CRS
populations with a goal of improving disease endotyping and developing personalized care pathways. I am
devoted to mentoring the next generation of clinician-scientists in the field of rhinology and chronic rhinosinusitis
research. The number of physicians and other surgeons pursuing clinical or translational research is declining,
and this is particularly true in the fields of rhinology and otolaryngology. Maintaining a strong pipeline of trainees
on research-related career paths is crucial for the development of the subspecialty and scientific advancement
of the field. This will be a prospective translational cohort study to identify the clinical implications and longitudinal
stability of chronic rhinosinusitis endotypes. We will enroll CRS patients through our well-established
biospecimen repository and determine the stability of inflammatory mediator levels and associated endotype
assignment over multiple seasons and determine whether these changes are associated with sinonasal microbial
community structure. We will also confirm the longitudinal effects of two commonly used immune-modifying
interventions (endoscopic sinus surgery and anti-IL4/13R biologic therapy) on inflammatory mediator levels and
endotypic assignment. Collectively, these translational studies will substantially advance basic knowledge of a
common airway disease that impacts millions of patients, while providing a range of investigative opportunities
for mentees interested in CRS and mechanisms of upper airway inflammation. My research program is centered
around a patient-oriented approach that incorporates patient-derived specimens, patient-reported outcome
measures, and personalized approaches to care. I anticipate that mentee participation in this research program
will lead to new and exciting avenues for patient-oriented research to further characterize CRS endotypes and
evaluate the effects of targeted therapies; thus, this project will provide a conducive setting for developing the
next generation of clinician-scientists in the field. I have a history of continual extramural funding, more than a
decade of experience as a mentor to trainees at all levels, and institutional support to enhance my own skills that
will augment the support proposed through the K24 mechanism.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11138197
- **Project number:** 7K24AI177947-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** Justin H Turner
- **Activity code:** K24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $115,969
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2023-07-12 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11138197

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11138197, Mentoring in Chronic Rhinosinusitis Pathophysiology and Mechanisms of Disease (7K24AI177947-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11138197. Licensed CC0.

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