Dr. John P. Clancy shares new developments in drugs that restore airway surface liquid in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis, making it easier to clear mucus.

Dr. John P. Clancy shares new developments in drugs that restore airway surface liquid in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis, making it easier to clear mucus.
Dr. James Chmiel shares new developments in drugs to reduce inflammation in the lungs and help prevent lung damage.
Dr. Jennifer Taylor-Cousar shares new developments in drugs that fight infections in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis.
For the first time, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation invited non-CF experts to its annual research conference to meet with CF researchers. The conference -- New Technologies Advancing Toward a One-Time Cure -- in Savannah last month focused on the challenges being faced in gene editing, gene delivery and stem-cell biology and laid the foundation for new collaborations.
Drs. Drucy Borowitz and Manu Jain share new developments in drugs that will treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis.
In January, I underwent successful phage therapy -- an experimental treatment in which viruses are used to kill difficult-to-treat bacteria. To get a better sense of the future of this potential treatment option for other people with CF, I chatted with the head of the Infection Research Initiative at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Everyone with cystic fibrosis faces the fear that their next infection could be the one that doesn't respond to treatments. Chronic infections eventually led to my sister's death. After seeing what she went through, it became clear to me that we have an immediate need for better anti-infectives.
When my 8-year-old daughter with CF found out that the disease is potentially fatal, I was grateful for her optimistic views on life and death. But deep down, I was saddened with the thought of a cure being so far away that I wouldn't be around to see it. Today, my fears have dwindled.
The top priority in clinical research is protecting the safety of people who participate. Learn more about the numerous layers of review that help keep participants safe.
The radio stations are filled with holiday music, but as 2015 comes to a close, I find myself listening to an entirely different playlist. In my mind, there are not only songs that make me reflect on the path that my family has so carefully traveled so far, but also the hope and the promise of all the good things yet to come.