Overview

Cystic fibrosis (CF) has no cure. Nonetheless, the prognosis for CF patients has never been brighter.

CF results from a mutation in a single gene, leading to abnormally thick mucus secretions in the lungs. It doesn’t sound dire, but it is, and until recently most patients died before reaching adulthood from respiratory problems. Better therapies now allow CF patients to live better and longer lives, and further clinical progress is on the horizon.

Although CF is caused by a single gene defect, it differs in severity and progression from person to person. A greater understanding of the disease pathways and the genes involved is vital to the search for a cure. The Jackson Laboratory works to improve CF research through making available better animal models for the disease and better coordinating the research effort.