News

An article published in BioMed Central’s Pulmonary Medicine journal provides evidence that the impaired immune system, a key feature in cystic fibrosis (CF), may lead to patients being deprived of necessary oxygen due to lung tissue destruction. The study, entitled “Hypoxia down-regulates expression…

Biopharmaceutical company Aridis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has named Paul-Andre de Lame, MD as its new chief medical officer to help the company in their efforts to develop new anti-infective and immune therapies to treat infectious diseases. Aridis is currently developing a reactive monoclonal antibody drug called Aerucin, to treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa associated with cystic fibrosis.

AbbVie recently announced that the 2015 AbbVie CF Scholarship is now open and accepting applications from both graduate and undergraduate students. This scholarship supports and honors young adults suffering with cystic fibrosis (CF) in their pursuit of higher education. Students can apply for the scholarship until May 27, 2015, 10 a.m. (central…

Just Breathe: Adults living with Cystic Fibrosis is a newly released book that captures the human experience of Cystic Fibrosis through a series of simple, yet complex portraits of adults living with the disease. Readers will find themselves transfixed as each page brings a new face, challenging…

In a new study entitled “Ultrasound echo-intensity predicts severe pancreatic affection in cystic fibrosis patients,” the authors suggest ultrasonography is a suitable and effective diagnostic tool to evaluate pancreatic function in cystic fibrosis patients. The findings could help physicians better diagnose and treat the pancreatic issues and…

As a chronic disease that causes difficulties in breathing, persistent coughing, thick mucus and wheezing, most patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) struggle to manage the symptoms, often making exercise extremely difficult. 23 year-old Crystal Park, however, decided to take control of her body and the disease and, despite the difficulties,…

In a recent study published in the journal BioMedical Engineering OnLine, a research team from the University of Rio de Janeiro assessed the effectiveness of Forced Oscillation Technique for the evaluation of biomechanical lung function changes in patients with Cystic Fibrosis. With a mortality rate of 85%,…

Branching mini-lung. Credit: Nick Hannan, University of Cambridge The creation of a pair of mini-lungs was successfully completed by a group of investigators at the University of Cambridge and may revolutionize the treatment of conditions that affect the pulmonary system. The mini-lungs were created as part of a…

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. recently presented preliminary study results of FDA-approved Kalydeco for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) in combination with an investigational drug. Despite the fact that the combined therapy helped improve breathing in CF patients, the outcomes were less significant than expected by analysts, which disappointed investors. Vertex conducted…

When Julie Goodrow‘s first child was born in 2004, she never imagined that her life would be so different from other new mothers. Just one day after being born, the doctors told Julie that her daughter, Elena, now 11 years old, might suffer from a chronic and progressive disease, but it was…