The CFRI CF Community Voices Podcast

Phage Therapy for CF-Associated Infections - Benjamin Chan, PhD (Audio)

Dr. Benjamin Chan, Associate Research Scientist in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University, gives a comprehensive overview on bacteriophage (phage) therapy, the therapeutic administration of the bacteria killing viruses. He shares experiments and case studies that resulted in a significant decrease in production of targeted virulence factors in single-phage treated samples, a significant reduction in bacterial density in sputum, and significant increase in FEV1. This presentation was part of CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference.

CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference was sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Viatris, Gilead Sciences, AbbVie, and the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

Panel: Coping with Cancer and CF (Video)

In this panel session, three adults with CF - Elyse Elconin Goldberg, MA, Thomas Horal, and Colleen Lewis - share their personal experiences with diverse cancer diagnoses, while a sibling of an adult with CF – Christine Nash, MBA - describes her brother’s battle with pancreatic cancer. Moderated by Jean Hanley, MD, the discussion explores panelists’ insights and perspectives on detection and treatment, as well as the mental health implications of this dual diagnosis. This presentation was part of CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference.

CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference was sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Viatris, Gilead Sciences, AbbVie, and the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

Panel: Coping with Cancer and CF (Audio)

In this panel session, three adults with CF - Elyse Elconin Goldberg, MA, Thomas Horal, and Colleen Lewis - share their personal experiences with diverse cancer diagnoses, while a sibling of an adult with CF – Christine Nash, MBA - describes her brother’s battle with pancreatic cancer. Moderated by Jean Hanley, MD, the discussion explores panelists’ insights and perspectives on detection and treatment, as well as the mental health implications of this dual diagnosis. This presentation was part of CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference.

CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference was sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Viatris, Gilead Sciences, AbbVie, and the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

Strategies to Address Medical Trauma - Samantha Johnson, MA, CCLS; Kate Yablonsky, LCSW (Video)

Samantha Johnson, Certified Child Life Specialist III at Stanford Children's Hospital, and Kate Yablonsky, social worker at the Stanford Adult CF Center, review signs and symptoms of medical trauma and discuss strategies for people with CF and their loved ones across the lifespan to effectively process and integrate these experiences. The presentation highlights the significant impact on quality of life that this under-discussed but very real form of trauma can have. This presentation was part of CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference.

CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference was sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Viatris, Gilead Sciences, AbbVie, and the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

Strategies to Address Medical Trauma - Samantha Johnson, MA, CCLS; Kate Yablonsky, LCSW (Audio)

Samantha Johnson, Certified Child Life Specialist III at Stanford Children's Hospital, and Kate Yablonsky, social worker at the Stanford Adult CF Center, review signs and symptoms of medical trauma and discuss strategies for people with CF and their loved ones across the lifespan to effectively process and integrate these experiences. The presentation highlights the significant impact on quality of life that this under-discussed but very real form of trauma can have. This presentation was part of CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference.

CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference was sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Viatris, Gilead Sciences, AbbVie, and the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

Aging in the New Age of Cystic Fibrosis - Richard Moss, MD (Video)

Dr. Rick Moss, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics at Stanford University and former Director of the Stanford CF Center, presents an overview of the challenges of aging in the modulator era of CF, such as diabetes, a variety of cancers, cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis, and other health challenges. He also presents CFRI’s new programmatic efforts to raise expertise of caregivers for aging CF patients as well as providing accurate information and empowerment to all people with CF everywhere. This presentation was part of CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference.

CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference was sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Viatris, Gilead Sciences, AbbVie, and the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

Aging in the New Age of Cystic Fibrosis - Richard Moss, MD (Audio)

Dr. Rick Moss, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics at Stanford University and former Director of the Stanford CF Center, presents an overview of the challenges of aging in the modulator era of CF, such as diabetes, a variety of cancers, cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis, and other health challenges. He also presents CFRI’s new programmatic efforts to raise expertise of caregivers for aging CF patients as well as providing accurate information and empowerment to all people with CF everywhere. This presentation was part of CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference.

CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference was sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Viatris, Gilead Sciences, AbbVie, and the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

Modeling Epithelial Immune Cell Interactions in Cystic Fibrosis - Amy Ryan, PhD (video)

Dr. Amy Ryan, Associate Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Gene Therapy at the University of Iowa, highlights potential mechanisms underlying immune complications observed in CF patients despite modulator treatment. She discusses an integrated approach combining physics-based models, gene-edited immune cells, and lung-on-chip technologies, which holds promise for advancing personalized cellular therapies for CF. This presentation was part of CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference.

CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference was sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Viatris, Gilead Sciences, AbbVie, and the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

Modeling Epithelial Immune Cell Interactions in Cystic Fibrosis - Amy Ryan, PhD (audio)

Dr. Amy Ryan, Associate Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Gene Therapy at the University of Iowa, highlights potential mechanisms underlying immune complications observed in CF patients despite modulator treatment. She discusses an integrated approach combining physics-based models, gene-edited immune cells, and lung-on-chip technologies, which holds promise for advancing personalized cellular therapies for CF. This presentation was part of CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference.

CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference was sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Viatris, Gilead Sciences, AbbVie, and the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

Exploring Nucleic Acid Based Approaches to Treat People with CF - Jennifer Taylor-Cousar, MD, MSCS (video)

Dr. Jennifer Taylor-Cousar, a tenured professor of adult and pediatric pulmonary medicine and co-director of the Adult CF Program at National Jewish Health, gives a comprehensive overview of nucleic acid-based therapies (NABT), which aim to deliver the correct instructions to the cell for making a functional CFTR protein. She reviews lessons learned from historical NABT efforts, pre-clinical data supporting renewed clinical investigative efforts, and ongoing clinical trial designs and updates. This presentation was part of CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference.

CFRI's 37th National CF Education Conference was sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Viatris, Gilead Sciences, AbbVie, and the Boomer Esiason Foundation.