U-M researchers awarded $500K grant to develop a Cystic Fibrosis Research Center

August 21, 2024

A team of U-M researchers has been awarded a $500,000 grant by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF). Alexandra Piotrowski-Daspit, Ph.D., the principal investigator, is a faculty member at the Center for RNA Biomedicine and Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Internal Medicine – Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Division.

Lindsay Caverly, M.D., the co-PI, is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Pulmonary Medicine. Michelle Hastings, Ph.D., Pfizer Upjohn Research Professor of Pharmacology and Director of RNA Therapeutics at the Center for RNA Biomedicine, and John LiPuma, M.D., James L. Wilson Research Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, are the other members of the leadership team.

The grant will fund the development of a CFF Research Development Program (RDP) at the University of Michigan. In collaboration with a cohort of CF research and clinical colleagues, this initial funding will enable the development of the research infrastructure needed to garner additional extramural support for this program in 2026.

“We aim to build a community of CF researchers and physicians at U-M to leverage our combined expertise to advance the development of therapeutic approaches for all people with CF,” says Piotrowski-Daspit. This award will provide the support to achieve this central objective with a concerted effort to connect discoveries made in the lab to CF care teams and patients at Michigan Medicine’s adult and pediatric CF clinics.

The CFF's RDP network currently consists of nine RDP centers anchored at leading universities and their affiliated hospitals throughout the U.S. These RDP centers connect top-level scientists and clinicians from various disciplines to apply their collective expertise to face the challenges of treating CF.

Dr. Piotrowski-Daspit is currently co-PI on an umbrella project funded by a $3 million Collaborative Research Grant from the CFF to develop RNA therapeutics to combat cystic fibrosis – an initiative headed by Hastings.

Rachel Niederer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biological Chemistry and Center for RNA Biomedicine Faculty Scholar, rounds out that team of three.

“Although our collaborative grant award most certainly contributed to the success of this development award, it is a separate program,” Hastings relays.

“It will seed our efforts to establish the framework and build the infrastructure for housing a major multi-faceted and interconnected CF research effort at the U-M campus, and provide resources to help us flesh out in detail exactly what that will look like.”

“We’re excited to build a research center here at U-M with an interdisciplinary group of scientists and physicians from Engineering, Biology and Michigan Medicine, and are very grateful for the support from the CFF,” Piotrowski-Daspit says.

With the RNA Therapeutics Initiative rapidly gaining momentum, Hastings envisions a clear path ahead with no foreseeable roadblocks for U-M to join, and lead the elite ensemble of institutions with a CF Research Center.

“We have a solid footing already in place, and establishing a research center with this firm foundation would position us at the forefront of CF research and discovery,” Hastings says. “We’d be closer to our goal of finding therapies – including RNA-based or RNA-targeting medicines – for people with CF who currently have no treatment options.”

Featured News & Stories

UMich Med Mosaic

Beyond the White Coat: Disability, Neurodiversity and Advocacy in Medical School

In this episode of UMich Med Mosaic, host Mackenzie Kay sits down with medical students Jill Maudlin, Sarah Renberg and Bella Johnson to discuss their experiences as disabled and neurodivergent trainees at the University of Michigan Medical School. They reflect on the personal journeys that led them to medicine, the challenges and strengths that accompany living with disabilities and chronic health conditions and the importance of representation within the medical profession. The conversation explores how disability shapes their approaches to patient care, advocacy and teamwork, as well as the role of the Medical Students for Disability Health Advocacy (MSDHA) organization in creating community and advancing accessibility initiatives. They also discuss Michigan’s accommodations in medical education, efforts to improve disability-related curriculum content and the importance of building a culture where disabled and neurodivergent students can thrive.

Woman's torso in a blue hospital gown, with her hands holding a pregnant belly and an IV in place.

Health Lab

High dose oxytocin protocol linked to lower postpartum hemorrhage rates

A change in how oxytocin is administered after childbirth may help reduce postpartum hemorrhage, a new study suggests.

Family with mom and dad and three kids sitting on a park bench, dad's arms extended around the family.

Health Lab

Intuition pushed mom to keep checking for breast cancer

Michigan mom had no reason to suspect cancer. But instinct nudged her to find out for sure — and carried her through challenging treatments to remission.

Elyse celebrates her high school graduation with VanWasshenova

Health Lab

Paralyzed from waist down as a child, patient walks across stage at high school graduation

A tumor on her lower spine paralyzed Elyse Wickenheiser from the waist down as a child. Through successful physical and occupational therapy, she was able to walk across the stage at graduation.

Minding Memory

Antipsychotic Use in Nursing Homes: Balancing Medication Safety, Policy, and Dementia Care

In this episode, Lauren Gerlach and Matt Davis speak with Theresa Shireman, PhD, Director of the Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research and a Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice and Epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health. Dr. Shireman’s research focuses on pharmaceutical policy, pharmacoepidemiology, health services research, and medication use among vulnerable populations. Dr. Shireman discusses her recent study, "Impact of Federal Antipsychotic Use Policy in Nursing Homes on New Diagnoses for Approved Indications in Dementia Residents," published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study examines whether federal policies designed to reduce antipsychotic use in nursing homes were associated with increases in new diagnoses of conditions, such as schizophrenia, that exclude residents from publicly report antipsychotic quality measures. Using an interrupted time-series design, the researchers examined changes following the 2012 National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care and the 2015 addition of antipsychotic use to the Nursing home Five-Star Quality Rating System. They found that neither policy was associated with an increase in new exclusionary diagnossees, challenging concerns that nursing homes were increasingly assigning these diagnoses to circumvent restrictions on antipsychotic use. The conversation also explores the benefits and risks of antipsychotic medications for people living with dementia, including the potential for serious adverse effects such as sedation, falls, stroke, and increased mortality. Dr. Shireman discusses how public reporting and financial incentives can influence prescribing practices,the limitations of using a single quality measure to evaluate nursing home care, and the importance of balancing medication safety and residents’ individual needs. The discussion highlights the need for shared decision-making among clinicians, nursing home staff, residents, and families, as well as greater investment in staffing, resources, and nonpharmacological approaches to improve quality of life for people living with dementia. The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Health Lab

4 ways to teach your teen safe driving habits

New motorists cause a disproportionate number of distracted driving accidents. That’s why laying the groundwork for safe habits must begin before your teen gets the keys.