# Airway metagenome & metabolome in bronchiolitis and risk of asthma: MARC-35 cohort

> **NIH NIH R01** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 2020 · $687,403

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Bronchiolitis is the leading cause of hospitalization in US infants. However, the differences in
acute severity are not explained by traditional risk factors. In addition, although infants
hospitalized with bronchiolitis are at very high risk for incident asthma, the mechanisms linking
these two conditions remain unclear. These major knowledge gaps have hindered efforts to
develop bronchiolitis treatment strategies and to prevent asthma in this high-risk population. The
35th Multicenter Airway Research Collaboration (MARC-35) study (U01AI-87881; Camargo, PI)
is an ongoing 17-center cohort study that completed enrollment of 1016 hospitalized infants with
bronchiolitis in 2014. In this diverse cohort (54% African-American or Hispanic), investigators
have collected high-quality biospecimens, including nasopharyngeal samples at the index
hospitalization (median age, 3 months). Follow-up data include biannual parent interviews,
medical record reviews, and in-person exam at age 6 years, with >90% follow-up to date. The
current R01 project would extend this large well-characterized bronchiolitis cohort by defining
nasopharyngeal airway metagenomic and metabolomic profiles in the setting of bronchiolitis,
and by examining their relations to both acute (bronchiolitis severity) and chronic (incident
asthma) outcomes in childhood. In Aim 1, we will determine the relations among the airway
microbiome (metagenome) profiles, metabolome profiles, and acute bronchiolitis severity. In
Aim 2, we will examine the relations among the airway microbiome and metabolomic profiles in
infants with bronchiolitis, and the risk of developing asthma. Lastly, using a systems biology
approach, Aim 3 will define bronchiolitis endotypes by integrating clinical, virus, molecular data
(e.g., airway microbiome and metabolome), and determine their associations with the acute and
chronic outcomes. Our pilot data demonstrate compelling support for our hypotheses. The
current R01 project will provide a unique opportunity to define the pathobiology of bronchiolitis
through examining the functional capacity of microbiome (metagenome) as well as the small
molecules representing functional activity of both microbiome and host (metabolome). In
addition, by investigating young infants with bronchiolitis – a natural experiment during a crucial
period of lung development – we will also define the mechanisms linking bronchiolitis to incident
asthma. The study will provide a strong evidence base for bronchiolitis treatment and asthma
prevention strategies through the future development of targeted interventions (e.g., modulation
of microbiome and metabolic pathways). The investigators are NIH-funded researchers with
international expertise in the field. The study matches well with the 2013 NIAID Strategic Plan.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9821733
- **Project number:** 5R01AI134940-03
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Kohei Hasegawa
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $687,403
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-12-01 → 2022-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9821733

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9821733, Airway metagenome & metabolome in bronchiolitis and risk of asthma: MARC-35 cohort (5R01AI134940-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9821733. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*