Three Lakes Foundation has recently announced that it is partnering with Lung Foundation Australia, the Centre of Research Excellence in Pulmonary Fibrosis (CRE-PF) and an Australian philanthropist with a personal connection to the rare disease to build a global network for research in pulmonary fibrosis (PF). This global collaboration is focused on enabling the groups to leverage expertise, resources and knowledge to accelerate diagnosis, treatment and delivery of life-saving therapies for PF.

Three Lakes Foundation will contribute to funding the Lung Foundation Australia and the CRE-PF, a clinically focused program with several research projects already underway. The CRE-PF, which was initially funded in 2017 by the Australian Government's National Health and Medical Research Council, supports research in fibrotic lung diseases, educates the public and trains future researchers in PF.

"Our partnership is built on a shared belief about the urgent need for new therapies and approaches for interstitial lung diseases like PF," said Cheryl Nickerson-Nutter, PhD, VP of research and development at Three Lakes Foundation. "Together, we will be able to dramatically improve our understanding of the condition and also create a foundation for global collaboration with researchers, partners and patients."

"By joining forces, we will drive global awareness of PF and spur innovative solutions for people with PF," added CRE-PF principal investigator and associate professor Tamera Corte, BSc, MBBS, FRACP, PhD. "This partnership will also enable us to fast-track PF research and bring access to therapies sooner."

According to associate professor Corte, the CRE-PF research projects that will benefit from the Three Lakes Foundation funding are designed to achieve the following:

Identify the distinct endotypes or subtypes, defined by distinct mechanisms, behind PF in order to develop tools that can more accurately diagnose the disease.  

Determine if the molecular signatures found in models of disease reflect those in patients with idiopathic PF so scientists will be able to accurately predict the success of promising therapies in the future. 

Use artificial intelligence to help scientists accurately predict the disease course at the time of diagnosis. 

Automate a lung disease registry to recruit, track and monitor thousands of patients. 

Study the impact of COVID-19 and isolation in people with interstitial lung disease. 

Map the changes and lung health effects from environmental exposures.

In addition to supporting the strategic projects, Three Lakes Foundation will work with Lung Foundation Australia and the CRE-PF to launch a global PF Coalition. 

"This partnership is the first step to establishing an international collaboration in the field of PF," noted Mark Brooke, chief executive officer of Lung Foundation of Australia. "The pace of change in disease research is growing rapidly, thanks to new advances in drug development, artificial intelligence and unhindered communication. New discoveries transcend beyond borders and can only occur when there is a cross-pollination of ideas."

About Three Lakes Foundation 

Three Lakes Foundation (TLF) is a nonprofit dedicated to serving as a catalyst for uniting research, industries, and philanthropy in pulmonary fibrosis. We connect entrepreneurs, advocates and institutions to an innovation ecosystem that will transform our approach to improve time to diagnosis and accelerate new therapies. To learn more, visit threelakesfoundation.org.  

About Lung Foundation Australia and Centre of Research Excellence in Pulmonary Fibrosis

The Lung Foundation Australia is committed to improving the lives of individuals living with or impacted with lung disease and lung cancer. The Foundation has a long history of supporting leading Australian lung health researchers and is proud to partner with the Centre of Research Excellence in Pulmonary Fibrosis (CRE-PF). Initially funded by the Australian Government's National Health and Medical Research Council, the CRE-PF builds capacity for research in PF.