UK Cystic Fibrosis Conference

Inside the lab

UK Cystic Fibrosis Conference

The UK Cystic Fibrosis Conference is the UK's biggest conference dedicated to all aspects of clinical care and research in the field of cystic fibrosis (CF).

UKCFC 2023 Addressing CF research priorities

In early October 2023, Professor Jane Davies and other members of the CF community presented an overview of the hopes and challenges of living with CF today. This follows the identification of a refreshed top 10 of CF research priorities at the end of last year, which was a defining moment for CF research. The priorities will help us continue to champion research that will make a difference to the lives of people with CF in the future.

Watch the UKCFC 2023 presentations

Conference programme

  • Session 1: Opening session

    10.00 – 10.15 Welcome, Katherine Cowan, meeting facilitator, David Ramsden and Dr Lucy Allen, Cystic Fibrosis Trust

    10.15 – 10.40 Opening plenary, “Re- learning cystic fibrosis”, Professor Jane Davies, Imperial College London

    10.40 – 11.00 Partnership update 1– The CF Innovation Hub at Cambridge University, Professor Andres Floto, University of Cambridge

    11.00 – 11.15 Partnership update 2 – CF AMR Syndicate: Connecting the community for impact, Dr Paula Sommer, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Connie Takawira, Medicines Discovery Catapult & Dr Ed McKiver, LifeArc

    11.15 – 11.30 Partnership update 3 – Partnerships with LifeArc, The value of the expert lived experience, Dr Catherine Kettleborough, LifeArc & Lorna Allen, Cystic Fibrosis Trust

    11.30 – 11.45 Cystic Fibrosis Trust Research Strategy, Dr Lucy Allen, Director of Research and Healthcare Data

    11.45 – 12.15 TEA

  • Session 2: Symptoms and complications of CF

    12.15 – 12.25 Gut feelings: unravelling gastrointestinal symptoms in CF, Professor Alan Smyth, University of Nottingham

    12.25 – 12.35 Preventing bowel cancer in CF, Professor Stephen Renshaw, Sheffield University

    12.35 – 12.45 Taming gut dysbiosis, inflammation and abdominal symptoms, Professor Daniel Peckham, Leeds University

    12.45 – 13.00 Q&A

    13.00 – 13.30 Early Career Researcher Flash Posters for Session 2

    13:30 – 14:30 LUNCH

  • Session 3: CF Lung infections

    14.30 – 14.40 What’s on the menu? Why Pseudomonas aeruginosa loves the CF airways, Dr Martin Welch, University of Cambridge

    14.40 – 14.50 Host and pathogen determinants of pulmonary aspergillosis in cystic fibrosis, Professor Darius Armstrong James, Imperial College London

    14.50 – 15.00 Exploiting bacterial quorum sensing signals to diagnose Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in cystic fibrosis., Professor Miguel Camara, Nottingham University

    15.00 – 15.15 Q&A

    15.15 – 15.45 Early Career Researcher Flash Posters for Session 3

    15.45 – 16.15 TEA

  • Session 4: Underlying cause of CF

    16.15 – 16.25 Exploiting fluorescence assays for screening small molecules and CFTR variants, Dr Paola Vergani, UCL, London

    16.25 – 16.35 Fixing CF-causing variants – update on the Gene Editing SRC, Dr Patrick Harrison, University of Cork, Ireland

    16.35 – 16.45 CF lung disease: from inflammation to repair , Dr Robert Gray, Glasgow University

    16.45 – 16.55 Deubiquitinases as therapeutic targets: modulation of ion channel function in the CF airway epithelium, Dr James Reihill, Queens University Belfast

    16.55 – 17.10 Q&A

    17.10 – 17.40 Early Career Researcher Flash Posters for Session 4

    17.40 – 17.50 Closing remarks, Dr Lucy Allen, Director of Research and Healthcare Data

    18.00 – 20.00 Poster viewing drinks reception 

Email [email protected] if you have any questions.

Research we fund

We fund research to tackle some of the most pressing issues in CF today. Find out how your donations are making a difference.

What is CF?

Cystic fibrosis (CF) affects the lungs, digestive system and other organs. Around 11,00 people are living with it in the UK.

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