Grant: Doctoral: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Supervisor: Kelly McNagny, University of British Columbia Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and debilitating lung disease that causes progressive and irreversible scarring of lung tissue. The symptoms of IPF often overlap with other lung disorders, making it challenging for doctors to correctly detect the disease early. This results in treatment delays and poor outcomes, with IPF patients having an average life expectancy of two to four years after diagnosis. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new tools for earlier identification and diagnosis of IPF. In this project, we aim to conduct a comprehensive screen to search for blood-based biomarkers of IPF. By characterizing and comparing immune cells and proteins in the blood of patients with different lung diseases, we will find signatures unique to IPF that can be used by doctors to diagnose the disease before lung function becomes irreversibly impaired. Ultimately, this project will reveal IPF-specific blood-based biomarkers that will catch patients early in their disease course, allow for quicker treatment intervention and improve the lives of the thousands of Canadians and millions of individuals suffering from IPF worldwide.