Patricia Inácio, PhD,  science writer—

A new study entitled “PINK1 deficiency impairs mitochondrial homeostasis and promotes lung fibrosis” discovered mitochondria PINK1 impaired expression underlies the formation of fibrotic tissue in older patients lungs. The study was published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is…

A new study entitled “Spectrum of diffuse parenchymal lung diseases with special reference to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and connective tissue disease: An eastern India experience” describes a prospective analysis performed in India to assess the burden of diffuse parenchymal lung diseases (DPLD), particularly two DPLD-causative disorders, idiopathic pulmonary…

In a new study entitled “Perivascular Gli1+ Progenitors Are Key Contributors to Injury-Induced Organ Fibrosis” a team of researchers identified a new key factor for the formation of fibrotic tissue. The study was published in the journal Cell Stem Cell. The findings could eventually lead to new…

As the drug development community continues to invest into pulmonary fibrosis research, new insights are improving both diagnostic and prognostic tools for improving treatment of the disease. Recently, Pacific Therapeutics Ltd. scientists reported in a study entitled “Familial and sporadic idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis:making the diagnosis from peripheral blood”…

New stem cell research is offering insights into how scientists may someday be able to mitigate lung injury caused by diseases such as IPF. A recent study entitled “The secretome of induced pluripotent stem cells reduces lung fibrosis in part by hepatocyte growth factor” and published…

In a study entitled “Development of microscopic polyangiitis-related pulmonary fibrosis in a patient with autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis” published in BMC Pulmonary Medicine the authors report the first evidence of a relationship between ANCA-associated systemic vasculitis and aPAP-related pulmonary fibrosis. Autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (aPAP) is a rare…

Promedior, Inc. recently announced in a press release that they have received FDA fast track designation for their compound – PRM-151 – as a promising, new therapeutic for patients with myelofibrosis. The new designation supports continuing evidence that PRM-151 may be a viable therapy for treating a range of diseases…

A new study entitled “Lung fibrotic tenascin-C up regulation is associated with other extracellular matrix proteins and induced by TGFβ1” and published in BMC Pulmonary Medicine journal suggests that the Tenascin C protein is a glycoprotein that may be relevant for fibroblastic foci activity and fibrosis…

A new study entitled “Familial and sporadic idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: making the diagnosis from peripheral blood” published in October issue of BMC Genomics reports that the diagnosis of sporadic idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis from peripheral blood samples by identifying a functional genetic signature.The new findings could have…

A broad perspective of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis causes were recently discussed in a wide-ranging featured lecture  published on AJMC entitled “Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Biomarkers and New Treatment Options” by expert in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Steven K. Huang, MD at the 2014 American College of Chest…