Daniel Zeichner, Labour MP for Cambridge visited the Welch and Godlee Labs together with representatives from the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Trust last Friday 16 January.
Martin Welch and Camilla Godlee gave tours of their labs and introduced their lab members, including Isabella Sheldon, who is doing a PhD funded by the CF Trust. They presented their work to improve treatments for CF lung infections, by understanding more about infection-causing bacteria and fungi.
People with CF are at a high risk of developing lung infections, because of the thick sticky mucus in their lungs. These infections can cause breathlessness and difficulty breathing. They can also cause major disruptions to day-to-day life and may lead to permanent lung damage.
Martin Welch said of his lab's CF Trust-funded work, including a VIA award that supports another PhD student Jemima Swain's research on how different bacteria that cause CF lung infections affect each other: “We know that many people with CF live with long term lung infections, like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and we desperately need better, more effective ways to treat them. We hope research in this area will make a real difference in improving the lives of everyone with CF.”
Daniel Zeichner commented on his visit: “It’s a privilege to see the incredible research happening here in Cambridge to tackle cystic fibrosis lung infections. Meeting the scientists and seeing their work up close underlines just how important research is in developing better treatments and improving quality of life for people living with this condition.”
