Award
NIH Reporter #1R15HL181657-01A1
RESPOND: Repurposing Drugs for Respiratory Disorders Using a Hybrid Neuro-Symbolic AI Approach
Recipient
St. John's University, Queens, NY, United States
Award Amount
$562,500.00
Ceiling
$562,500.00
Awarded
July 10, 2026
Identifier
1R15HL181657-01A1
The award funds a project using a hybrid neuro-symbolic AI approach to repurpose FDA-approved drugs for treating serious lung diseases PAH and IPF, including lab and animal testing and student training.
Description
This project aims to improve public health by repurposing FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), two life-threatening lung diseases with limited therapeutic options. By integrating symbolic AI (knowledge graphs) with traditional machine learning in a hybrid neuro-symbolic AI framework (RESPOND), and combining this with rigorous in vitro and in vivo validation, the study will enable data-driven identification and testing of promising drug candidates. It also provides undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on research training in computational biology and translational medicine. The outcomes could accelerate treatment development, reduce healthcare costs, and offer faster, more effective therapies for patients suffering from these chronic respiratory conditions.