Ruogang Zhao, Ph.D.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), characterized by the progressive stiffening of lung tissues, is a severe disease with no cure. The understanding of the cause of fibrosis is incomplete, but immune cells such as macrophages (MFs) have been shown to play an important role. MFs have several subtypes and each subtype may contribute to the fibrosis differently. Factors such as blood flow and tissue stiffness can affect MF function and fibrosis contribution, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. In this study, we will develop models to study the effect of these factors on different MF subtypes and to test the utility of these models for the screening of anti-fibrosis drugs. We expect our findings will help to improve our understanding of the mechanism of pulmonary fibrosis and lead to new anti-fibrosis therapies.