UNMC has received two grants totaling about $3.5 million to look deeper into the cause of lung disease, which plagues workers in hog farms and other agricultural settings.
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What: The grants — which total $3.5 million — will let the researchers evaluate how the immune system recognizes and responds to organic dust that is commonly encountered by hog farmers.
“A lot of research has been done in this area, but my research shows we might be focused on the wrong problems,” Dr. Poole said. “We want to determine the important agents within the dust, then we can try to reduce exposure to them.”
Why: It’s estimated more than one-third of those who work in animal, swine and dairy facilities, develop lung disease related to dust exposure.
Goal: The hope is that the research will lead to new treatments to reduce airway inflammation before it causes disease in workers.