{"id":27121,"date":"2026-09-09T16:01:45","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T20:01:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/?p=27121"},"modified":"2026-09-09T16:08:34","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T20:08:34","slug":"inside-ees-newest-research-grants-tackling-the-barriers-to-cf-breakthroughs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/tr\/inside-ees-newest-research-grants-tackling-the-barriers-to-cf-breakthroughs\/","title":{"rendered":"EE\u2019nin En Yeni Ara\u015ft\u0131rma Hibeleri: Kistik Fibrozis At\u0131l\u0131mlar\u0131n\u0131n \u00d6n\u00fcndeki Engellerin \u00dcstesinden Gelmek"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Six newly funded projects are pursuing promising solutions to some of the field\u2019s toughest challenges for the final 10%.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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Getting gene-editing tools through thick CF mucus. Helping genetically corrected cells survive and rebuild healthy tissue. Breaking down the defenses of resistant bacteria\u2014and even finding ways to make antibiotics work again.<\/b><\/p>\n

These are some of the challenges researchers are tackling through Emily\u2019s Entourage\u2019s (EE) newest round of research funding.<\/span><\/p>\n

Across six new <\/span>Translational Research Grants<\/span><\/a>, scientists are developing technologies to overcome critical hurdles in genetic therapies while pursuing new approaches to combat persistent, drug-resistant lung infections.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The strategies are different, but the goal is the same: <\/span>turn promising science into tangible breakthroughs for the final 10% of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) unable to benefit from current mutation-targeted therapies.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a closer look at what EE\u2019s newest funded researchers are working on\u2014and why it matters.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

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\"\"Getting Through CF Mucus<\/b><\/h3>\n

Xizhen Lian, PhD, Johns Hopkins University, with Justin Hanes, PhD<\/b><\/p>\n

Thick, sticky CF mucus can block therapies from reaching the cells they\u2019re designed to treat. Drs. Lian and Hanes are developing tiny delivery vehicles called <\/span>lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) <\/b>specifically designed to move through mucus and carry gene-editing therapies directly to airway cells.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why it matters:<\/b> Getting through the mucus barrier could help unleash genetic therapies capable of treating CF at its source.<\/span><\/p>\n

Explore the research \u2192\u00a0<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

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\"\"Building a Better Delivery Vehicle<\/b><\/h3>\n

Zheng-Rong Lu, PhD, Case Western Reserve University<\/b><\/p>\n

Dr. Lu is developing a new type of biodegradable LNP designed to safely and efficiently carry gene-editing machinery directly into cells. The team will initially test the approach in a mouse model with a <\/span>nonsense<\/b> mutation<\/b>, evaluating whether it can successfully correct and restore CFTR function.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why it matters:<\/b> Gene editing can only become a viable treatment if the tools can safely reach and enter the cells where they’re needed. This project aims to help bridge that gap.<\/span><\/p>\n

Explore the research \u2192\u00a0<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

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Putting AI to Work<\/b><\/h3>\n

Jacob Witten, PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology<\/b><\/p>\n

Dr. Witten is using <\/span>artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced laboratory models of lung biology<\/b> to rapidly screen and identify LNPs designed specifically for inhaled genetic therapies. The goal is to find delivery systems that improve potency, reduce toxicity, and are capable of penetrating CF mucus to efficiently deliver their therapeutic cargo.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why it matters:<\/b> Using AI to accelerate the search for better delivery systems will enable researchers to exponentially increase the number of LNPs they screen while reducing the cost of these screenings.<\/span><\/p>\n

Explore the research \u2192\u00a0<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

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Helping Corrected Cells Take Hold<\/b><\/h3>\n

Sriram Vaidyanathan, PhD, Nationwide Children\u2019s Hospital and The Ohio State University, with Kyle Cromer, PhD, University of California, San Francisco<\/b><\/p>\n

Drs. Vaidyanathan and Cromer are developing engineered <\/span>\u201csynthetic receptors\u201d<\/b> that temporarily give corrected airway stem cells a growth advantage that can be turned on and off. The goal is to help those repaired cells grow, repopulate, and ultimately repair the airway.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why it matters:<\/b> Helping corrected cells persist and rebuild tissue could make future gene-based therapies that restore lung health in all people with CF more durable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Explore the research \u2192\u00a0<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

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\"\"Breaking Down Bacteria\u2019s Defenses<\/b><\/h3>\n

Hugh Smyth, PhD, The University of Texas at Austin<\/b><\/p>\n

Dr. Smyth is developing an inhaled therapy for <\/span>methicillin-resistant <\/b>Staphylococcus aureus<\/i><\/b> (MRSA)<\/b> that pairs an antibiotic with a biofilm dispersing enzyme that breaks down the protective biofilms bacteria use to survive. Delivering the two together could help the antibiotic more effectively kill bacteria that can be life-threatening and are difficult to treat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why it matters:<\/b> Breaking down the bacteria\u2019s defenses while simultaneously attacking it with an antibiotic could provide a more effective way to treat persistent, life-threatening MRSA infections.<\/span><\/p>\n

Explore the research \u2192\u00a0<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"Making Antibiotics Work Again<\/b><\/h3>\n

David T. Pride, MD, PhD, University of California San Diego School of Medicine<\/b><\/p>\n

Dr. Pride is pairing antibiotics with <\/span>bacteriophages\u2014or \u201cphages,\u201d viruses found in the environment that specifically target and kill harmful bacteria\u2014to tackle drug-resistant <\/b>Achromobacter<\/i><\/b> infections, <\/b>which are a growing problem in people with CF<\/span>.<\/b> Early findings show that certain phage-antibiotic combinations can eliminate and even resensitize previously resistant bacteria to antibiotics regardless of their previous susceptibility.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why it matters:<\/b> If phages can help restore the effectiveness of previously resistant antibiotics, this approach could create new treatment options for people facing some of the most difficult-to-treat CF infections.<\/span><\/p>\n

Explore the research \u2192\u00a0<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

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Explore all Emily\u2019s Entourage awarded grants<\/strong> \u2192 <\/span>https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/awarded-grants\/<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n



<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Six newly funded projects are pursuing promising solutions to some of the field\u2019s toughest challenges for the final 10%.   Getting gene-editing tools through thick CF mucus. Helping genetically corrected cells survive and rebuild healthy tissue. Breaking down the defenses of resistant bacteria\u2014and even finding ways to make antibiotics work again. These are some of… <\/p>\n

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Daha fazla bilgi edinin<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1719,"featured_media":27143,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"Inside EE\u2019s 2026 Research Grants: Tackling the Barriers to CF Breakthroughs","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[197,217,223,204,275,274,271,188,270],"class_list":["post-27121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-cf-research","tag-cf-science","tag-ee-grant","tag-ee-research","tag-emilys-entourage-grant","tag-emilys-entourage-research","tag-gene-editing","tag-gene-therapy","tag-new-cf-research"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/WordPress-Featured-Image-26.webp","post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1719"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27121"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27146,"href":"https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27121\/revisions\/27146"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emilysentourage.org\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}