University of Iowa Researchers Secure Nearly $12 Million NIH Grant to Develop Gene Editing Treatments for Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia
Key Insights
A University of Iowa team led by David Stoltz received nearly $12 million over five years from the NIH to develop new treatments for primary ciliary dyskinesia (search) (PCD), an inherited disease causing chronic respiratory infections and progressive lung damage.
The research aims to first understand how PCD develops, then test whether gene editing can treat the underlying causes of the disease rather than just its symptoms.
Many PCD patients are not diagnosed until childhood or adulthood because newborns are not routinely screened, by which time recurring infections may have already caused lasting damage.
A research team at the University of Iowa has been awarded nearly $12 million over five years from the National Institutes of Health to develop new treatments for primary ciliary dyskinesia (search) (PCD), an inherited disease that causes chronic respiratory infections and progressive lung damage. The highly competitive NIH P-series grant, led by David Stoltz, professor of internal medicine, marks one of the first such awards the university has received in more than two decades.
The grant was part of a record-setting fiscal year 2026 for the university, which secured $771.7 million in external funding, including $536 million for research, scholarship, and creative activities across more than 2,100 projects. The federal government remained the largest source of research support, providing $295.8 million for projects spanning medicine, public health, engineering, and other disciplines.
Addressing a diagnostic gap with lasting consequences
Primary ciliary dyskinesia (search) is a genetic disorder that impairs the function of cilia—microscopic hair-like structures that clear mucus and pathogens from the airways. Many people with PCD are not diagnosed until childhood or adulthood because newborns are not routinely screened for the condition. By the time a diagnosis is made, years of recurring infections may already have caused lasting damage to the lungs and sinuses.
The lung and sinus disease worsens over time, affecting quality of life and, in some cases, leading to early respiratory failure. Currently, treatments focus on managing symptoms rather than addressing the root cause of the disease.
From understanding mechanism to gene editing therapy
Building on Iowa's internationally recognized work in cystic fibrosis, Stoltz and his collaborators are pursuing a two-pronged approach. The team will first work to better understand how PCD develops at the molecular and cellular level. With that foundational knowledge, they will then test whether gene editing can treat the underlying causes of the disease, not just its symptoms.
The long-term goal is to create new treatments that help people with PCD live longer, healthier lives. The P-series grant mechanism is designed to bring together experts from multiple disciplines to work on complex health and scientific problems that no single investigator could address alone.
"Research changes lives," said David Schwebel, UI vice president for research. "Whether we're developing new therapies for devastating diseases, helping children reach their full potential, or addressing challenges facing rural communities, our faculty are committed to solving problems that matter. External funding allows them to translate ideas into discoveries that improve the health and well-being of people in Iowa and around the world."
A broader commitment to brain science and neurotherapeutics
In a related development, the University of Iowa has allocated $600,000 over three years through its P3 strategic investment program to establish the Iowa Program in Experimental Neurotherapies. This initiative, selected from 18 proposals submitted through a campuswide call in fall 2025, will bring together researchers from across campus to develop new treatments for brain disorders, focusing on both neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative disorders.
The neurotherapeutics program aims to help researchers translate scientific discoveries into new treatments, strengthen the university's competitiveness for large external grants, and attract partnerships with biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical-device companies.
The university will also invest $3 million in the buildout of the sixth floor of the College of Pharmacy Building to provide laboratory space for cancer researchers and serve as the future home of the Iowa Institute for Cancer Drug Discovery and Development, pending approval by the Iowa Board of Regents.