Cystic Fibrosis News and Research

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Cystic fibrosis is a life threatening, inherited disease of the exocrine glands. The condition primarily affects the digestive and respiratory systems which become clogged with a thick, sticky mucus. Cystic fibrosis is caused by a mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene which results in an excess of salt and water passing into cells, causing a thick, sticky mucus to build up in bodily passageways.

New genetic condition that raises vulnerability to opportunistic infections

An international consortium co-led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center immunogeneticist Rubén Martínez-Barricarte, PhD, has discovered a new genetic disorder that causes immunodeficiency and profound susceptibility to opportunistic infections including life-threatening fungal pneumonia.

24 Jan 2023

Newly developed tool helps snip out faulty genes in a safe manner

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have come up with a new tool that has the potential to detach faulty genes and exchange them with new ones in a highly safe and effective way.

From Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 25 Nov 2022

Novel model system to identify new treatments for CF patients who continue to struggle without therapies

A mutation in the CFTR gene results in cystic fibrosis (CF). Despite the fact that there are many hundreds of identified mutations, not all of them can now be treated, leaving a sizable portion of CF patients without access to targeted medicines.

3 Aug 2022

Scientists discover cells travel faster through mucus than blood

Some cells travel quicker in thicker fluids, such as honey against water or mucus versus blood, because their ruffled edges detect the viscosity of their surroundings and adjust to boost their speed.

From University of Toronto 28 Jul 2022

Scientists discover a special cell in salivary glands that is likely crucial for oral health

Scientists at Scripps Research and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research have discovered a special type of cell that resides in salivary glands and is likely crucial for oral health.

13 Apr 2022

Threespine stickleback fish study details how parasite resistance in hosts arises

They thrive everywhere from bustling cities to remote rainforests -; even in our own backyards. Pervasive and unapologetic mooches, parasites rely on other organisms for their survival.

3 Mar 2022

Study identifies new therapy to treat cystic fibrosis

The process of making proteins from genes is similar to that of a factory, where employees must follow a set of instructions that are both effective and precise.

31 Jan 2022

Disproving the classical theory of protein folding phenomenon

Proteins are the messengers, workers, managers, and directors of mostly all intra- and inter-cellular functions in the human body.

7 Oct 2021

Researchers show how 'bad mucin' contributes to worsening pulmonary conditions

Mucus is an essential protective layer of gel-like liquid composed largely of proteins called mucins throughout our airways.

23 Sep 2021

Combining bacteriophages with antibiotics to treat antibiotic-resistant infections

Mycobacterium abscessus, a relative of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis and leprosy, is responsible for particularly severe damage to human lungs and can be resistant to many standard antibiotics, making infections extremely challenging to treat.

17 Sep 2021

Researchers use prime editing to correct mutations causing cystic fibrosis in organoids

A team of scientists rectified mutations that result in cystic fibrosis in cultured human stem cells.

11 Aug 2021

Study shows potential of human mesenchymal stem cells in treating NTM lung infection

A study released today in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine offers hope for those suffering from a chronic, difficult to treat condition called non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung infection.

5 May 2021

New gene editing approach bypasses disease-causing mutations

A new approach to gene editing using the CRISPR/Cas9 system bypasses disease-causing mutations in a gene, enabling treatment of genetic diseases linked to a single gene, such as cystic fibrosis, certain types of sickle cell anemia, and other rare diseases.

From Penn State University 22 Apr 2021

New gene editor could help treat genetic disorders caused by single-nucleotide mutations

Scientists have created a CRISPR-based gene editor named C-to-G Base Editor (CGBE) that can correct mutations responsible for genetic disorders.

15 Mar 2021

New tool reveals potentially risky DNA alterations at site of CRISPR gene repair

Scientists have developed an affordable, downloadable app that scans for potential unintended mistakes when CRISPR is used to repair mutations that cause disease.

12 Feb 2021

Researchers make new discovery in the quest for novel antibiotics

Scientists who highlighted the bug-busting properties of bacteria in Northern Irish soil have made another exciting discovery in the quest to discover new antibiotics.

15 Jan 2021

New antibiotic can help treat drug-resistant pathogens

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University and Medicine have designed a potential new antibiotic for a pathogen that is highly resistant to drugs and is often lethal to individuals suffering from lung diseases, including cystic fibrosis.

11 Dec 2020

Scientists develop human airway stem cells to accelerate research on COVID-19, influenza

For the first time, researchers have successfully created airway basal stem cells in vitro from induced pluripotent stem cells by reprogramming blood cells taken from patients.

27 Oct 2020

Biofilms of major pathogenic bacteria can deform soft surfaces

The vast majority of bacteria in the world live on surfaces by forming structures called "biofilms". These communities host thousands to millions of bacteria of different types, and are so biologically complex and active that scientists describe them as "cities".

9 Oct 2020

Researchers create a new, quicker method of diagnosing diseases in patients

A new and quicker method of diagnosing diseases in patients has been created by researchers at the University of Leeds.

3 Sep 2020