Active Lungs & Breathing Pregnancy, Children & Inherited Conditions

Immunomodulation in the uterus by the lung exposome.

Funder Wellcome Charity-funded
Recipient organisation University of Manchester
Funding Not disclosed
Period Oct 2025 — Sept 2028

In plain English

AI plain-English summary

A flu infection or a puff of cigarette smoke can trigger structural changes in the uterus, altering its collagen and tissue architecture. This project will uncover how inflammation in the lungs sends signals that reshape the womb. The problem is a blind spot in reproductive health. Air pollution and respiratory infections are linked to uterine diseases and lower fertility, but no one knows how the lungs talk to the uterus. The mechanisms—whether through systemic inflammation, stray metabolites, or particles travelling through the blood—remain unknown. If this research succeeds, it could reveal a new biological pathway connecting breathing to reproduction. That might eventually inform advice for women trying to conceive during flu season or living in polluted cities, or lead to screening for uterine changes after lung infections. It could also shape public health guidance on air quality and fertility. This is fundamental science. It will not produce a treatment tomorrow. But understanding how the immune system and extracellular matrix in the uterus respond to lung challenges is a necessary first step. Past discoveries about hidden organ crosstalk—like the gut-brain axis—have opened entirely new fields of medicine. This lung-uterus axis may prove similarly consequential.

View original technical description
This project aims to assess crosstalk between the immune system and extracellular matrix (ECM) in the uterus which is a unique environment with cycles of tissue remodelling. The project will assess how these relationships are shaped by exogenous factors including inflammation in the lungs. This is based on our preliminary data that indicates abnormal collagen deposition and structural changes in the uterus during flu infections and following cigarette smoke exposure (mouse models). Studies have linked exposure to air pollution with uterine diseases and reduced fertility, but the mechanisms linking the lung and uterus are unknown. This project will utilise different models of lung inflammation including infection and exposure to pollutants (in collaboration with Atmospheric Sciences Department in Manchester) to characterise this lung-uterus axis in depth and assess the mechanisms behind these immune and structural changes in the uterus. The main objectives of this project are to: \- Identify the macroscopic immune and ECM changes in the uterus during lung challenge models including flu and pollutant exposure \- Identify the mechanisms driving changes in the uterus after lung inflammation (systemic inflammation versus metabolite transfer or translocation of particles). \- Assess the impact of these changes in the uterus on fertility and health of offspring

View the original record at the funder ↗

Researchers

Catriona Laverty (EPMC Awardee)

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Original classification

PhD Studentship (Basic)

Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.