Earlier this summer, the CF Foundation hosted a small research conference that brought together CF scientists, clinical researchers, and biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry representatives from around the world to discuss the latest advances and to outline the future direction of CF research.
The meeting was centered around three main themes:
- Understanding how information from clinical trials of CFTR modulators -- drugs targeting the underlying cause of CF -- could help shape and direct basic laboratory research and lead to better design of CF clinical trials.
- Exploring emerging technologies that could be applied to CF, including cutting-edge research on gene editing and gene delivery that offers the potential to correct the defective CF gene.
- Identifying new research tools that will facilitate a better understanding of the disease process and accelerate development of new CF therapies.
By the end, I felt renewed energy among the scientists as they exchanged ideas and discussed collaborations that will continue through the year. These individuals and their creative talents are critical to solving the complex puzzle of CF. It was particularly rewarding to see their eagerness and excitement to get back to their labs and start working on new ideas that emerged from the meeting.
This short video of conference attendees sharing their thoughts about the progress we are making in CF research captures the excitement of the conference and their commitment to continue working to find a cure.
