Mutations & Conversations - a Column by Tré LaRosa

Three years ago, I was hardly involved in the broad cystic fibrosis (CF) community. My only involvement with CF – aside from the fact that my sister and I have it – was some undergraduate research in a CF lab and taking part in Great Strides walks over the…

When we say “me” or “I,” what exactly are we referring to? Are we referring to our bodies, our minds, or the combination of the two? It’s both a scientific and philosophical question, who we are. In a casual manner, we often speak in the first person when referring to…

I can remember the day I discovered the truth that I had already suspected in my heart: cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-shortening disease. I’m just old enough that I couldn’t Google whatever I wanted to at the time. I learned this information from a calendar sitting in my CF…

Based on the stringent qualifications the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation uses to determine who has cystic fibrosis, approximately 70,000 people currently have CF worldwide. That includes 30,000-35,000 in the United States. In this broad population, many subpopulations fit neatly into the CFF’s qualifications. Others do not. As much as we…

I have a productivity complex: I feel like if I’m not being productive, I’m wasting my time. And yet, whenever I accomplish something, I don’t bask in the enjoyment of accomplishing that thing. Instead, I’m worried about the next thing I need to accomplish. The to-do list of…

We all play different roles in our lives: We are friends, children, siblings, parents, cousins, employees, and more. In each of these roles, we assume the jargon of that role when we talk in those environments. In our workplaces, we may use the scientific, technical, or specific jargon…

For nearly three years, I’ve worked alongside brilliant CF doctors, scientists, and PhDs at a great research hospital. Before that, during college, I worked closely with CF scientists and PhDs at the University of Kentucky. All in all, I have about five years of experience in CF science.

The CF community’s strength is in its powerful, far-spread voice. For people with a chronic disease, and doubly so when that chronic disease is rare like CF, it is critical for the community to be involved and educated. The CF community is exactly that. When a perfect storm…

I consider myself a conversation-starter. I like discussing serious topics and sharing my genuine feelings and thoughts with others. I enjoy talking about sports, engaging in light banter, and dissecting the plots of TV shows — even why “The Bachelor” or “The Bachelorette” made the wrong choice. I’m…

I walk two paths: One is that of logic in my career as a scientist. In this field, it’s critical to remove emotion from the picture as much as possible. I work as a cystic fibrosis (CF) scientist so that isn’t always easy, but it is important. The…