After injury, organs repair in an attempt to restore normal tissue architecture and function. Such repair involves a complex interplay between progenitor cells, inflammatory cells, cytokines, and the extracellular matrix, resulting in tissue regeneration and matrix remodeling. Chronic injury results in the common endpoint of organ fibrosis, a combination of inadequate numbers of functioning cells and a scarred fibrotic matrix.
Organ fibrosis results in illness, disease, or death due to diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, renal fibrosis, and myelofibrosis. The demographic changes of an aging population and the obesity epidemic are further increasing the number of patients affected by fibrosis, and have raised its profile among patients, clinicians, and industry.
This increasing clinical need has been paralleled by a greater understanding of the basic biology of tissue regeneration and fibrosis and a realization that many of the key pathways involved in both processes are shared between organs, leading to a shift away from viewing fibrosis as a distinct tissue-specific disease process towards that of a failure of regeneration and matrix remodeling that is common to many organs.
Yale School of Medicine has a long track record of basic and clinical scientific research in injury, repair, regeneration, and fibrosis. The Yale Fibrosis Program provides a common forum for Yale researchers to identify interests and resources with the goal of developing cross-discipline collaborations. Our members possess scientific expertise in stem cell biology, high throughput screening, genomics, proteomics, bioengineering, and in vivo models of injury and fibrosis. Our program facilitates the formation of research groups related to basic and translational research efforts and clinical trials and offers regular meetings to foster innovation, collaboration, and discovery.
John Slade Ely Professor of Medicine (Pulmonary) and Professor of Pathology; Director, Yale Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Center of Excellence, Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine; Associate Dean, Medical Student Research
Professor of Medicine (Digestive Diseases); Director of Yale Weight Loss Program; Director of Yale Fatty Liver Disease Program
Yale Fibrosis Program
300 Cedar Street, TAC S241
PO Box 208019
New Haven, CT. 06520-8019
Fax: 203-785-7273
Yale Fibrosis Program
One Gilbert Street
TAC Bldg, Room S241
New Haven, CT 06519