ARDS is a serious condition that involves lung inflammation and fluid accumulation in the air sacs, leading to low blood oxygen levels and respiratory failure. It is often fatal and affects approximately 160,000 individuals each year in the United States. The main form of treatment for ARDS is delivery of oxygen and a continuous level of pressure to the damaged lungs through mechanical ventilation. However, some methods of mechanical ventilation may cause ventilator-associated lung injury (VALI), a condition that can result from overdistension of the lungs during inspiration or from excessive mechanical forces. VALI can delay or prevent healing from respiratory failure.