Ruczinski Lab
Principal Investigator: Ingo Ruczinski
Institution: Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD)
Primary Subfield: Molecular & Cell Bio
Recruitment Status: Inquire for rotation/fellowship opportunities
Research Focus
PROJECT SUMMARY Multiple lines of evidence point to the role of adaptive immunity as response to viral infections and/or as misdirected autoimmune response in subjects with COPD and emphysema. There is support for an association between adaptive immune responses and COPD progression, but a direct link has not been made. In this proposal, we will utilize blood samples from 3,000 well-characterized subjects from the COPDGene Study, which include longitudinal follow-up and extensive available omics datasets. We will employ state of the art Phage ImmunoPrecipitation Sequencing (PhIP-Seq) technology to efficiently and comprehensively assess samples for autoantibodies and antibodies indicative of prior viral infections. Our first hypothesis is that previous infections with respiratory viruses, or differential immune responses to viral infections, are associated with more rapid progression of COPD, specifically lung function decline. The second hypothesis is that autoantibodies are associated with COPD, emphysema, and more rapid lung function decline. Aim 1: Human Virome and Lung Function Decline. We will test for associations between baseline viral antibodies and longitudinal decline in l…
Active NIH Awards
- 5R01HL168663-03: Defining the Role of Viral Infections and Autoantibodies in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Progression (2026)
- 5R01HL168663-02: Defining the Role of Viral Infections and Autoantibodies in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Progression (2025)
- 5R01DE031855-03: Differences between the sexes among genetic variants affecting orofacial cleft birth defect risk (2025)
- 1R01HL168663-01A1: Defining the Role of Viral Infections and Autoantibodies in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Progression (2024)
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