More than 30,000 people in the US and 70,000 worldwide are living with cystic fibrosis and approximately 1,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multi-organ autosomal recessive genetic disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. CFTR gene encodes a ion channel that resides at the apical surface of many epithelial cell types. CFTR defects result in abnormal chloride and bicarbonate transport, increasing mucus viscosity in the pancreas, paranasal sinuses, digestive tract, and most notably, the lower airways. In the lungs, stagnant viscous mucus creates a favorable environment for chronic colonization by pathogenic bacteria, the leading cause of mortality among the CF population.

To learn more about CF visit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: https://www.cff.org/What-is-CF/About-Cystic-Fibrosis/