Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

We awarded Dr Franco Conforti from the University of Southampton a fellowship to fill the gap in the understanding of the factors that drive idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Alveolar cells in lungs are important for the breathing process and are injured in IPF. Other cells in lungs, fibroblasts, which are usually responsible for promoting wound healing become abnormal in IPF and produce excess scar tissue.

Fibroblasts are likely to produce mediators that damage the alveolar cells further, but little is known about how these cells interact to cause abnormal wound-healing and exaggerated scarring. Dr Conforti’s research will look at the interaction and try to determine if alveolar cells can be protected from the damaging effects of the fibroblasts.