Research
Research is essential for finding new approaches for CF therapies. Scientists are dedicated to developing medical advances to combat CF, in the hope that a cure will be found in the foreseeable future. There are many ways in which you can help us reach a cure:
- By participating in CF clinical trials
- By getting involved in fundraising opportunities to finance medical research
- Donating to the CF Trust
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Gene therapy
Gene therapy is regarded as the way forward to finding a cure for CF. The principle is to add normal, healthy copies of the gene into the appropriate cells of the body. So instead of treating the symptoms of the disease, like most conventional medicines, gene therapy has the potential to correct the underlying cause.
To find out more on gene therapy visit gene therapy.org
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the founder of the 'UK CF Gene Therapy Consortium' and has pledged over £15 million to fund research into this area. Further tests for safety and efficiency are being carried out before a single dose trial planned for 2007 and full multi-dose trials in 2008. However it is still in infancy and there are many complications to overcome before the possibilities of a cure can be reached.
Listed below are other research areas. To find out more information about these and other treatments which are currently being pioneered in the USA please visit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - Drug development
Protein Assist/Repair
Protein assist and repair therapy is designed to correct the function of the defective CFTR protein made by the CF gene to allow chloride and sodium (salt) to move properly in cells lining the lungs and other organs.
Restore salt transport
The goal of this approach is to hydrate thick CF mucus in the lungs by correcting the amount of salt (sodium & chloride) along the cell surface.
Please also see the section patients, subsection research trials for further details of studies that we are carrying out or plan to carry out in our Centre.
