Boston University and GSK collaborate to tackle pulmonary fibrosis

Researchers from the Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM) at Boston University and Boston Medical Center (BMC) have announced a new collaboration with the global biopharma company GSK to advance innovative research focused on developing cutting-edge models to study and treat lung diseases like pulmonary fibrosis.

Pulmonary fibrosis, including its most common form, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), is a progressive and life-threatening condition that results in scarring of the lungs, making it increasingly difficult for patients to breathe. While the causes of this disease are complex and not fully understood, lung epithelial cells-;specifically those lining the tiny air sacs where oxygen exchange occurs-;have been found to play a central role in its development.

Together with GSK, the Boston-based research team will focus on understanding how dysfunctional lung epithelial cells initiate and perpetuate the disease, including alveolar type 2 (AT2) cells, which are responsible for maintaining the lung's delicate architecture.

Kaivan Khavandi, MD, PhD, SVP & Global Head of Respiratory/Immunology R&D at GSKGenetic disruptions along with environmental factors can lead to stressed or dysfunctional epithelial cells, which initiate a cascade of signaling across immune cells and fibroblasts, ultimately leading to lung scarring. Identifying novel targets with high translational confidence therefore requires a deep understanding of the genetic and cellular basis of disease. By working together to establish this scientific discovery collaboration, we will combine state-of-the-art translational models at the CReM, with extensive multi-omic capabilities at GSK, to advance our understanding of the causal biology of fibrotic lung disease and accelerate the discovery of more effective treatments - which are so desperately needed in this area of respiratory medicine."

"Studying the crosstalk of lung epithelial and mesenchymal lineages using patient-derived stem cell and organoid-based model systems represents an exciting new direction for the field," said Darrell Kotton, MD, director of the CReM, pulmonologist at BMC, and the David C. Seldin Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

The new collaboration is expected to create a platform that will not only potentially advance the study of lung diseases but also enhance drug development efforts, offering hope to the many patients affected by these conditions. "Through this collaboration, we are poised to make significant advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms behind pulmonary fibrosis, which could ultimately transform how we treat these devastating diseases," adds Kostas Alysandratos, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at the school who is an investigator on the proposal and co-directs the Interstitial Lung Disease Clinic at BMC.

Source:

Boston Medical Center