Grant: Operating Grant

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease that follows ventilator and oxygen treatment for acute failure to breathe in babies born very prematurely (24-28 weeks of gestation instead of 40). BPD is a major complication of prematurity with a short and long term burden for infants and their families. Damage to the still developing lung stops the normal formation of the alveoli (the air sacs in the lung that allows the uptake of oxygen and release of waste carbon dioxide). Currently there is no treatment for this disease. Our laboratory is seeking new medications to protect and potentially heal the damaged lung. Our body contains stem cells, a pool of cells that have the ability to become any type of cell (i.e., bone, muscle, liver, or blood cells, etc.). Stem cells can be found in the bone marrow but also in the umbilical cord blood (UCB) of babies. UCB is discarded after birth, but can be safely collected and stored without risk to mother or baby. Our lab was one of the first to show that stem cells from UCB can repair lungs in a model of BPD induced in newborn rats by exposure to high oxygen concentrations. In this proposal, we will test the best way to use UCB stem cells to prepare for a safety study in humans. Our research could lead to new treatments to improve the outcomes for premature babies. Ultimately, our findings may extend to the treatment of other lung diseases that currently lack efficient treatments.