Glad am not alone in this!
www.bingefringe.com/2025/08/08/r...

Oh, it’s been so much fun and I only got to attend for a session and a half! But cheering to think of crossing paths.

Ellen Jenkins (UoB’ham) on a key question, how low does circulating oxygen drop in those with IPF overnight during sleep, & does that affect healthy lung cellular behaviour? 1st ans is: v signif’y low c/w controls. Bespoke antibodies and single-cell metabolic profiling, early findings => yes.

Back after the coffee break. Prof Ian Sayers presenting preliminary digital spatial transcriptomics data on IPF & COPD. Part of UoL/UoN/UoCambridge @wellcometrust.bsky.social Discovery Award. Suggests that apparently normal areas of IPF lung have increased expression of disease implicated genes.

There’s Rheum in the room - hurray and welcome, Prof Adam Croft! with cross-disciplinary insights. Dissecting pro-inflammatory and pro-resolution fibroblast behaviours in molecular and spatial detail. PRG4-deficient synovial fibroblasts behave like IPF myofibroblasts inc mφ interactions.

Dr Chris Huntley presenting his research on the #SANDSTONE study => Is inhalable crystalline silica exposure a risk for sarcoidosis? Explored in cohort 2ry/3ry care cohort. Recruiting challenges over COVID era but now done. Adj’d OR 1.85 (lower limit of CI 1.01)! Lower exps c/w silicosis.

Dr Bella Ng (Nottingham) focuses her research on innovative ways to use the latest MRI scanning methods to look at ILD when it affects children. Exciting to think how it might tell between fibrosis and inflammation, => crucial difference for treatment, and CT often can’t help.

I’m with @ksiva84.bsky.social’s response on this one. Subtle ‘beading of the fissure’ isn’t that specific, but this one ain’t subtle.

ICS use also impairs IFN responses, neutrophils remain suppressed of course but worsening of MUC5AC/mucus viscosity and microbiome perturbation inc increased Strep carriage in vivo.

Obese individuals have excessive inflammatory responses and impaired T1 IFN responses to diverse Resp viruses. Nice evidence to show that elevated leptin levels drive this via loss of SOCS2 suppression of JAK/Stat mediated cytokine release.

Great to welcome Aran Singanayagam to bring us up to speed on his work looking at impaired or exaggerated Type-1 IFN pathways in the contexts of respiratory viruses and the inflammation they drive.

Self-stabilising molecular systems inherently have potential to influence traits, evolve, and transmit information. Biomolecules co-evolved with cells. Nucleic acids specialised in the latter function. But the analogous properties remain. RNA w enzymatic functions, proteins as info transmitters…

Thanks, she’s a huge fan and will be delighted!

Oh yeah, it’s also advanced understanding of multiple conditions caused by similar molecular mechanisms - from COPD to dementias! Quite good returns from its first 3 decades…. 🎉 👏🏽 🙌🏽 🪩
#MechanismMatters #BenchANDBedside
🧵 END (for now)