Research investigating the role of immune cells in triggering lung and heart rejection following transplant will be supported by $10 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grants, awarded to scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, will support research that aims…

Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) produce a large amount of abnormal airway immune cells lacking an iron receptor that plays an important role in defending the lungs against pollutants and microbes, a study shows. The missing iron receptor is strongly correlated with poor clinical outcomes for patients, and…

It’s cold and flu season, and unfortunately, people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and compromised immune systems are bound to get sick. Despite our best efforts, it is likely that we’ll end up with the flu, a cold, or a more serious respiratory illness such as pneumonia. It…

The nasal epithelium of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) shows different levels of gene expression implicated in inflammatory and immune responses than those without the disease, a study reports. According to the researchers, these findings support nasal sampling as a noninvasive and inexpensive approach to identify and monitor…

Researchers have uncovered an immunological mechanism that underlies fibrosis in different lung conditions, including sarcoidosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a study reports. In mouse models of pulmonary fibrosis (PF), the study also demonstrated…

The protein vimentin triggers autoimmune reactions in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and the intensity of the reactions correlates with the severity of the disease, according to a study. The findings underscore scientists’ belief that autoimmunity — the immune system attacking the body’s own cells instead of invaders — plays…

When you are dealing with a disease or illness, your immune system is compromised, making it easier to pick up germs and bugs. While it’s impossible to live in a completely sterile environment, there are ways to try and minimize the amount of germs around your home according to the…

It’s that time of year when everyone starts to get sick and pass around their cold and flu germs. Having a chronic illness means that your immune system is already compromised, which makes picking up other people’s winter illnesses harder to avoid. However, you don’t have to lock yourself away…

Researchers suggest that a certain type of the immune system cell – called myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) – can serve as a biomarker to diagnose idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). These cells may also distinguish stages of disease progression, as a greater loss of lung function was found in patients with higher levels of MDSCs in…

New York City-based Kadmon Corp., a biopharma focused on developing therapies for significant unmet medical needs, recently announced the start of the first dosing regimen in a patient in its Phase 2 clinical trial assessing the drug KD025, the company’s rho-associated coiled-coil kinase 2 (ROCK2) inhibitor, for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis…