Fibrotic disorders, including pulmonary fibrosis, account for over one-third of mortalities worldwide. Strong evidence indicates that cell-matrix interactions drive the progression of fibrosis - the formation of scar tissue. Yet it is not clear whether changes in matrix composition or the subsequent alterations in mechanical properties of the tissues are the more potent driver of fibrosis, i.e., the best target for therapeutics.
The Magin Lab in collaboration with Dr. Darcy Wagner at Lund University has invented a method for incorporating proteins from decellularized lung tissues into dynamically tunable hybrid-hydrogels to recreate this remodeling and study it in vitro.
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