# Cell-cell interactions governing lung epithelial progenitor cells

> **NIH NIH R35** · BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · 2020 · $885,000

## Abstract

Summary
My lab’s contributions have helped bring lung biology to the forefront of stem cell biology. Our major focus has
been to develop tools to characterize progenitor cells in the adult lung and in lung cancer; I now aim to develop
this expertise for applications in lung diseases. We created three-dimensional co-culture organoid systems
that have begun to define cell-cell crosstalk between epithelial progenitors and other supporting cell types in
the lung. We can now model the formation of airway- and alveolar-like structures from lung progenitor cells,
and we have a platform to understand differentiation control at the molecular level. This research program
seeks to build on our advances and to further develop lung organoids to interrogate the molecular
underpinnings of cell-cell interactions between epithelial progenitor cells and their environment in the adult lung
homeostasis and in diseased lung. We will determine the signals through which epithelial progenitors are
regulated by mesenchymal cells and endothelial cells during lung injury response and repair. Cells from
mouse models of lung disease will be used for single cell RNA-sequencing and in organoid systems to identify
cell autonomous and paracrine mechanisms that can be used for therapeutic intervention. We will refine our
techniques for use with human lung cells. We will create a lung progenitor cell transplantation assay, a critical
need in the lung community for the study of progenitors and for regenerative medicine. While other groups are
focused on cataloging lung cell types, our strategies will provide essential tools to interrogate the biological
functions of diverse lung cells. Collectively, these new approaches will allow us to continue to build and utilize
transformative methods to probe numerous aspects of the biology of normal lung and lung disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9902712
- **Project number:** 1R35HL150876-01
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Carla F. Kim
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $885,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-03-15 → 2027-01-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9902712

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9902712, Cell-cell interactions governing lung epithelial progenitor cells (1R35HL150876-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9902712. Licensed CC0.

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