Shortly after I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I was on a walk and spotted a leaf in the shape of a heart. For some reason, the beauty of it struck me. It was a sign; nature had left me a message. I collected the leaf and…
New Year’s resolutions are an annual tradition for many of us. We make promises to ourselves to do something better in the year. But this year, I’ve decided to do something different: Instead of resolutions, I plan to make new memories. Why make resolutions I know I can’t keep? After…
A protein called DACT2 alleviated signs of lung scarring in mouse models of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), researchers reported. In tests in cells, DACT2 was found to work by suppressing glycolysis, an energy-producing metabolic process that is overactive in myofibroblasts, the cells involved in excess scar tissue formation in IPF.
Unlike members of the band Green Day, I could happily live through an entire year of Septembers. Januarys though? Wake me up when that ends. I always find myself exhausted and burnt out this time of year. I used to chalk it up to seasonal depression, but it’s…
A new startup company called Isterian Biotech has launched with the goal of developing new therapies for fibrotic diseases. Isterian is working to develop a first-in-class group of small molecules that would inhibit a protein called transglutaminase 2 (TG2), which plays a key role in fibrosis, or tissue scarring. Preclinical…
Living with a chronic illness can be a lonely experience. It feels isolating because it’s difficult for my peers, who are in their mid-30s, to understand what life with an invisible, yet debilitating, illness is like. While I’m glad they don’t have to experience that, it can be hard…
During the early days of my diagnosis, I didn’t want people to be sad. Yes, my diagnosis was not a cause for celebration, but sadness was not going to change it. If I could be positive, especially in my view of the future, I might help others be less…
A Phase 2b clinical trial testing NP-120 (ifenprodil) as a treatment for chronic cough is expected to begin later this year, according to the therapy’s developer, Algernon Pharmaceuticals. But plans for a Phase 2b study of NP-120 in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are postponed “until…
Changes in blood levels of Krebs von den Lungen-6 —  a protein produced by certain lung cells and known as KL-6 — can help predict the risk of disease progression in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) who’ve been treated with the anti-fibrotic medicines Esbriet (pirfenidone) and Ofev (nintedanib),…
What a busy but blessed year 2022 was for me! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and are enjoying the first few days of the new year. When I was in college, someone told me that the older you get, the faster time passes. I didn’t believe…
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