Health outcomes for parents living with cystic fibrosis
Official title: Health Outcomes of Parents with Cystic Fibrosis (HOPe:CF)
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11258850 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how becoming a parent affects the health and lung function of people with cystic fibrosis now that powerful CFTR modulator drugs are widely used.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $589,934 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL161164-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11258850 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with cystic fibrosis who are parents, expecting to become parents, or recently became parents—especially those followed at U.S. CF centers and with registry records spanning before and after the birth—are the ideal participants.
✕Less likely to help
People without cystic fibrosis, CF patients not followed in the U.S. CF Foundation Patient Registry or not seen at participating centers, and those whose parenting occurred well outside the 2011–2020 window are unlikely to be included or to benefit directly from this grant.
What this research studies
The team will link health records from the U.S. CF Foundation Patient Registry with surveys completed by people with CF who became parents and compare their lung function before and after parenthood to similar people who did not become parents. They will focus on percent predicted FEV1 (a common lung function measure), timing of any lung function changes, and how use of CFTR modulators relates to those changes. Data come from multiple U.S. CF care centers and include parents who had children mainly between 2011 and 2020. The goal is to find who may be at higher risk of health decline after becoming a parent and when extra support might be needed.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help people with CF and their care teams make informed family-planning decisions and tailor support to protect health during parenthood.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has used the CF Foundation Patient Registry for outcomes research, but this is one of the first large efforts to specifically compare pre- and post-parenthood health in the era of CFTR modulators.
Where this research is happening
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University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kazmerski, Traci M — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Kazmerski, Traci M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Impact of parenthood on health in people with cystic fibrosis
This study looks at how becoming a parent affects the health of people with cystic fibrosis, especially their lung function, by comparing new parents to those who aren't parents, to help guide future parents with CF in making informed choices about having kids.
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Blocking CFTR in the cervix to prevent conception without hormones
A non-hormonal approach aims to stop sperm from entering the uterus by making cervical mucus too thick for sperm, potentially offering a new contraception option.
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Optimizing Treatments for People with Cystic Fibrosis on Highly Effective Modulator Therapy
A real-world study in people with cystic fibrosis on highly effective CFTR modulator therapy to understand how traditional CF treatments can be adjusted safely.
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Elastin-like particles to deliver gene therapies for cystic fibrosis
A new nanoparticle system is being developed to deliver genetic therapies directly to the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis, including those with nonsense mutations.
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Pharmacogenomic Predictors of Clinical Responses in Cystic Fibrosis using Targeted WGS
A study looking at how genetic information from whole-genome sequencing can predict how people with cystic fibrosis respond to medications, using a focused set of pharmacogenomic genes.
-
Ceftaroline-meropenem combo to beat MRSA in cystic fibrosis
A new combination antibiotic approach is being tested to help people with cystic fibrosis who have MRSA infections that resist standard treatments.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.