Higher than normal levels of several pH-regulating proteins can be found in the bronchial, or airway, cells of people with cystic fibrosis (CF), according to a new study. This suggests the body may be compensating for the loss of CFTR function — which helps regulate the movement of salt…

Life at home never really went back to normal after Jasmine’s last hospital stay. She was 16 and wise beyond her years in ways that only kids who’ve spent too much time in hospitals can be. Every day was a balancing act for me, between being her parent and being…

An experimental RNA-based approach restored production and function of CFTR — the protein that is faulty or missing in cystic fibrosis (CF) — in preclinical models carrying disease-causing nonsense mutations, a study shows. These mutations introduce an incorrect stop signal in the genetic instructions for making CFTR, causing cells…

Bacterial extracellular vesicles (bEVs) — tiny sacs released by bacteria containing pro-inflammatory molecules  — have been found at elevated levels in the bloodstream of people with cystic fibrosis (CF), particularly in those whose lungs are infected with the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In the pilot study, the researchers call…

I celebrated nine whole years with my new lungs on Aug. 18. My husband took me to my favorite lake, where we logged some hours at the beach, jumped into the cold water, and ate at our favorite local spots. The day gave me some much-needed time to reflect on…

A single dose of an inhaled experimental gene therapy for cystic fibrosis (CF) — one designed to treat people regardless of their disease-causing genetic mutation — was shown in an animal model to sustainably boost CFTR gene activity and protein levels in the lungs and spread to several other…