Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis News and Research

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Pulmonary fibrosi is a condition in which tissue deep in your lungs becomes thick and stiff, or scarred, over time. The development of the scarred tissue is called fibrosis. As the lung tissue becomes thicker, your lungs lose their ability to move oxygen into your bloodstream. As a result, your brain and other organs don't get the oxygen they need.

In some cases, doctors can find out what's causing the fibrosis. But in most cases, they can't find a cause. They call these cases idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). IPF is a serious condition. About 200,000 Americans have it. About 50,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. IPF mostly affects people who are 50 to 75 years of age. IPF varies from person to person. In some people, the lung tissue quickly becomes thick and stiff. In others, the process is much slower. In some people, the condition stays the same for years. IPF has no cure yet. Many people live only about 3 to 5 years after diagnosis. The most common cause of death related to IPF is respiratory failure.

Scientists find new molecular target to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Scientists searching for a therapy to stop the deadly and mostly untreatable lung disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), found a new molecular target that slows or stops the illness in preclinical laboratory tests.

10 Apr 2018

Dentists mysteriously succumbing to lung disease finds the CDC

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found nine dentists and dental healthcare workers with a progressive lung disease of which seven died. This was published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report yesterday (8th March 2018).

8 Mar 2018

ASU researchers uncover crucial step in telomerase enzyme catalytic cycle

Can we stay young forever, or even recapture lost youth? Research from the laboratory of Professor Julian Chen in the School of Molecular Sciences at Arizona State University recently uncovered a crucial step in the telomerase enzyme catalytic cycle.

27 Feb 2018

Researchers develop gene therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Researchers have successfully identified the genetic cause of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and have shown success in trials of a new gene therapy.

1 Feb 2018

Researchers use gene therapy that lengthens telomeres to cure pulmonary fibrosis in mice

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a potentially lethal disease associated with the presence of critically short telomeres, currently lacking effective treatment.

30 Jan 2018

IPF Catalyst Challenge recognizes Owlstone Medical’s Breath Biopsy platform

Owlstone Medical Ltd, a diagnostics company developing a breathalyzer for disease, today announced it is one of the three winners of the global Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) Catalyst Challenge, sharing the $1,000.000 (£720,000 GBP) award, each receiving $333,333 (£240,000 GBP).

27 Jan 2018

Reduced activity of transcription factor plays key role in triggering pulmonary fibrosis

To date, the molecular basis of pulmonary fibrosis has been poorly understood. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim have now shown that reduced activity of the transcription factor FoxO3 plays a key role in the development of the disease.

26 Dec 2017

Study identifies molecular pathway critical to development of fibrosis

A study led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital and University Health Network in Toronto has identified a molecular pathway that appears to be critical to the development of fibrosis - scarring and excessive tissue deposition that result from abnormal healing responses and can compromise the function of vital organs.

15 Nov 2017

Health scientists uncover gene linked to lung fibrosis

Health scientists at the University of Leicester and University of Nottingham have heralded the discovery of a gene associated with lung fibrosis as 'a potential new avenue of treatment for further research into this terrible disease.'

23 Oct 2017

Study: 52-gene risk profile accurately predicts survival for patients with severe lung disease

An international Yale-led research team has shown that a risk profile based on 52 genes accurately predicts survival for patients with a severe lung disease. If confirmed in further studies, the finding could transform the way patients are treated for the condition, which is on the rise in older adults.

20 Sep 2017

Detailed understanding of ‘one of the most complex organs’ could provide new ways to treat lung disorders

Details of lung cell molecular pathways that promote or inhibit tissue regeneration were reported by researchers from the Perelmen School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Cell this week. Their aim is to find new ways to treat lung disorders.

7 Sep 2017

Cellular aging process can promote idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis can possibly be attributed to a kind of cellular aging process, which is called senescence. This has been shown by researchers from the Helmholtz Zentrum München, partner in the German Center for Lung Research.

4 Aug 2017

Researchers develop potential stem cell treatment for several lung conditions

A team of scientists from the UNC School of Medicine and North Carolina State University has developed promising research towards a possible stem cell treatment for several lung conditions, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cystic fibrosis -- often-fatal conditions that affect tens of millions of Americans.

3 Aug 2017

New survey reveals emotional, practical challenges facing people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

New results from a global survey supported by Boehringer Ingelheim reveal the emotional and practical challenges facing people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

24 Jul 2017

Targeting immune cells could lead to new treatments for pulmonary fibrosis

Northwestern Medicine scientists have demonstrated that a unique population of immune cells plays a key role in the development of pulmonary fibrosis, and showed that targeting such cells could lead to new treatments for the disease.

13 Jul 2017

Study identifies two T cell biomarkers that may predict survival trajectory of IPF patients

Two T cell biomarkers appear to predict the survival trajectory of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a lung disease that has a varied, but ultimately devastating, impact on patients, according to new research presented at the ATS 2017 International Conference.

22 May 2017

CUMC researchers create new organoids that mimic features of full-sized lung

New lung "organoids"-tiny 3-D structures that mimic features of a full-sized lung- have been created from human pluripotent stem cells by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center. The team used the organoids to generate models of human lung diseases in a lab dish, which could be used to advance our understanding of a variety of respiratory diseases.

11 May 2017

Researcher examines scarring process in hope of preventing chronic lung transplant rejection

For patients affected by lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis and others, cures for their diseases are incredibly rare, if not nonexistent.

2 Mar 2017

Two thirds of IPF patients report being involved during the decision-making process for the most appropriate treatment

New results from a global survey of over 150 people living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a life-threatening rare lung disease, demonstrate that while many patients were involved in treatment decisions, opportunities exist to improve the level of dialogue between patients and healthcare professionals.

28 Feb 2017

Mayo Clinic study finds link between biology of aging and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

A Mayo Clinic study has shown evidence linking the biology of aging with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a disease that impairs lung function and causes shortness of breath, fatigue, declining quality of life, and, ultimately, death.

23 Feb 2017