Researcher Dr Livia Delpiano is recognised for her Trust-funded research

Dr Delpiano’s research showed that a new approach might be possible to keep the lungs healthy in people with CF, that could benefit everyone with CF in the future. 

More about Dr Delpiano’s research

An important part of keeping the lungs healthy is to keep them well-hydrated and clear of infections. One way to do this is by ensuring the correct acid-alkali balance (correct pH) of the mucus that lines the surface of the lungs.

In people with CF, the mucus becomes too acidic; in turn, this increases its stickiness and prevents bugs trapped in the mucus from being removed or killed. Correcting the mucus back to an alkaline solution (alkaline pH) could be an effective way to treat CF.

“I was really fascinated to learn more about a transport protein in lung cells called SLC26A4 that not many people have looked at in detail in cystic fibrosis. We got proof of principle that this protein helps to correct the acid-alkali balance in the lungs. We also showed that it could be targeted with medicines for people with CF who are unable to benefit from modulators. I was over the moon with the results,” Livia explained. 

“I am deeply honored and truly grateful for the acknowledgment of the efforts and passion that my collaborators and I have put into this project. Thank you to my supervisor, colleagues and collaborators for their support and encouragement. Particular thanks to Cystic Fibrosis Trust and their supporters for funding these studies. The award has given me renewed enthusiasm and dedication to continue to contribute to CF lung research,” said Dr Delpiano.

Gerd Döring Award

The award was judged on a research paper that has made a significant impact on the understanding or treatment of cystic fibrosis.

The paper that Dr Delpiano submitted was completed during her Trust-funded PhD research in the lab of Dr Mike Gray at Newcastle University, as part of our ‘Restoring airway function using alternative chloride channels’ Strategic Research Centre (SRC) award. 

“This award is richly deserved and a real testament to the quality of Livia’s research into alternative approaches to help restore lung function for everyone with CF. The research study was a real team effort and involved close collaboration with Professor Jeff Beekman’s group in Utrecht. I’d like to thank them for their valuable contributions to the paper. Thank you to Cystic Fibrosis Trust for the funding that made this research possible,” said Dr Mike Gray, Principal Investigator of the SRC and Dr Delpiano’s supervisor.

Dr Lucy Allen, Director of Research and Healthcare data at Cystic Fibrosis Trust: “One of the aims of our Strategic Research Centre awards is to attract and retain the brightest and the best researchers, to continue to advance our knowledge and understanding of CF. Dr Delpiano’s research is an important step in ensuring those with CF can live a life unlimited. We’re delighted her Trust-funded research has been recognised with the Gerd Döring Award, and are thankful for all those who continue to support our research. ”

The European CF Conference

The European CF Conference takes place in different cities around Europe every June, organised by the European CF Society. Over 2,000 European and international CF researchers, doctors and representatives from CF teams gather for three busy days discussing the latest news in cystic fibrosis. 

Follow #ECFS tag on social media to follow some of the discussions.