Luciana Padua Tavares, PhD

Research Project:
How Neutrophils Can Play Crucial Role in Lung Healing in ARDS

Grant Awarded:

Catalyst Award

Research Topics:

immunology immunotherapy
pathology

Research Diseases:

ARDS
influenza
pneumonia

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening lung condition with limited effective treatments. We will explore how the body’s own defense mechanisms—specifically involving immune cells called neutrophils and their communication with macrophages—can play a crucial role in lung healing. In ARDS, the inflammatory response can become uncontrolled, leading to lung damage. However, we have found that neutrophils, which are initially harmful, might hold a key to recovery. We have identified a unique subset of neutrophils capable of producing healing molecules known as Specialized Pro-resolving Mediators (SPMs) using an enzyme called 15-lipoxygenase. Our aim is to understand how the body repairs lung injury and apply our findings to ARDS patients. This could ultimately contribute to new treatments that harness the body's natural healing mechanisms by targeting specific neutrophil subsets to promote lung healing.

Page last updated: September 30, 2025

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