Research Aims 2023-2028

The CRE-PF enables our nationally coordinated, clinically focused research program addressing the urgent need for more effective, personalised approaches to identify and better manage fibrotic lung diseases, as well as to educate the public and train future generations of researchers in pulmonary fibrosis. 

We are achieving our mission this through completing six objectives:

1. Understanding causes and improving early diagnosis. We are building new knowledge of genetic and environmental causes of ILD and enable intervention through earlier, more accurate diagnosis.
2. Preventing disease progression. We are developing sensitive and multidimensional staging to predict which patients have a progressive phenotype, and identify therapeutic targets to prevent disease progression and enhance survival.
3. Improving disease management, moderating symptoms, and improving quality of life. We are developing new treatments to improve quality of life and reduce the suffering of ILD patients.
4. Translating research outcomes to policy and practice. We are implementing national models of care to rapidly and directly translate our research outcomes into both policy and practice, ensuring best practice care for ILD patients across all areas of regional and urban Australia. 
5. Enhancing research training. We are building on our highly successful national training scheme, attracting and developing the next generation of outstanding ILD researchers with our multidisciplinary, adaptive program for career development, mentorship and training.
6. Facilitating collaboration. We are extending existing extensive national and international collaborations with a strong inter-disciplinary focus, enabling intellectual exchange, fast-tracking precision medicine research goals.

Figure: The CRE-PF is transforming and extending the lives of people with ILD, through an integrated research and education program focusing on key patient-identified research priorities.

In Australia, we are exceptionally positioned to achieve the CRE-PF objectives. Providing unique advantage for our expert team are the national collaborative platforms we have established:

• The Australasian ILD Registry (AILDR) with its multimodal biobank;  
• Our Pulmonary fibrosis Australasian Clinical Trials (PACT) network;  
• The Translation, Education and Support (TEDS) program delivered in partnership with Lung Foundation Australia;  
• The CRE-Advanced Training Environment (CREATE) researcher development program; and  
• Our dedicated Consumer Advisory Group.  

These national platforms underpin collaborative ILD research in Australia and provide critical infrastructure and enable key insights not possible in smaller studies.