Our 2021-2022 issue of Advancing Research features the exciting Lung Association-supported research of Marcia Goldberg, M.D., infectious disease expert at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Her project, “High Resolution Definition of the Pathogenic Immune Response in ARDS during COVID-19 Infection,” aims to detail the response of multiple types of inflammatory cells to COVID-19 infection in humans through the in-depth study of proteins in the bloodstream of nearly 400 patients and more than 800 blood samples.
In December 2021, findings from this observational study were published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The paper, titled “Alveolar, Endothelial, and Organ Injury Marker Dynamics in Severe COVID-19,” describes the progression of COVID-induced injury in relation to noted changes in the lung cells (alveolar cells) and cells that line blood vessels (endothelial cells). Their findings show that alveolar injury and that severe endothelial injury is more closely linked to injury in organs outside the lungs and poor outcomes.
According to lead author Daniel Leisman, M.D., resident physician at MGH who has been collaborating with Dr. Goldberg, “There has been debate over which type of cell injury the severity of COVID-19 illness. These results are exciting because they show that both injuries occur, but sequentially rather than together. Our findings shed light on how the biology of severe COVID-19 evolves over time and, hopefully, will help guide exploration of new treatment strategies for patients with COVID-19, and with acute respiratory distress more broadly.”
Through the Lung Association’s ongoing COVID-19 Action Initiative, Dr. Goldberg also received our support for her project, “Immune Response of Lung Transplant Recipients to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination.” This study is examining the efficacy of COVID vaccination for transplant recipients.
We will continue to report on the progress of these landmark research studies. Stay tuned!
Page last updated: April 18, 2024
