A new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique, called ultrashort echo-time (UTE), can efficiently detect abnormalities in the structure and function of the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), a study reports. This finding suggests that UTE-MRI can be an alternative to current ways of diagnosing CF, which expose patients to radiation. The…
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Lung inflammation in animal models of cystic fibrosis (CF) can be studied by a combination of genetics and bioluminescence imaging (BLI) techniques, that is, techniques that allow the non-invasive study of ongoing biological processes due to the ability of certain molecules to generate light, new research suggests. The study, “In vivo Monitoring…
Abnormal activation of inflammasomes, complexes that lead to the production of pro-inflammatory molecules in response to a pathogen, often contributes to respiratory infections and pathologic airway inflammation. In a recent study, Italian researchers looked at how two distinct inflammasomes, NLRC4 and NLRP3, participate in cystic fibrosis (CF)-associated lung infections, showing that NLRP3…
A modifier gene called SLC26A9 may have an influence on whether or not cystic fibrosis (CF) patients will respond to treatments with new drugs.
The abundant mucus in the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients helps certain types of bacteria, called anaerobes, to survive and, in turn, support the survival and proliferation of more dangerous opportunistic pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which otherwise would not find the nutrients they need in mucus-lined airways, a study reported. This symbiotic…
Sophia Genetics and Devyser announced a partnership to simplify the adoption of next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) for routine diagnostic laboratories. According to the terms of the agreement, Sophia Genetics will use its advanced analytical platform, Sophia DDM, to support Devyser’s NGS diagnostic kits for cystic fibrosis (Devyser CFTR) and hereditary breast…
The Journal of Innate Immunity published three studies that reviewed several central questions about lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF). The reviews, prepared by three international opinion research leaders in the field, attempt to shed light on some still unclear aspects of this disease. These reviews “will help to consolidate…
To become biologically active, most proteins must acquire a defined three-dimensional structure in processes that are mediated and monitored by molecular chaperones. Researchers based in Germany and the U.S., possibly for a first time, have revealed how these chaperones identify particularly harmful errors in protein conformation, and induce their degradation. The…
Kary Coleman, director of development and alumni relations at Penn State University’s New Kensington campus, was honored as one of Pittsburgh’s 50 Finest in 2016 by WHIRL Magazine and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) of Western Pennsylvania for raising more than $6,000 in six months — 153 percent of the…
Spyryx Biosciences recently announced that Dr. Alistair Wheeler is joining the company as its new chief medical officer. Spyryx, a clinical-stage biopharma specializing in therapeutics for respiratory diseases, is currently evaluating a potential treatment for cystic fibrosis (CF) in early clinical testing. Wheeler will be responsible for all aspects of clinical and medical processes and associated regulatory…
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