Understanding genetic and environmental factors in lung scarring disease

PRECISE-PF is a research study designed to better understand pulmonary fibrosis—a serious lung disease where lung tissue becomes scarred and stiff—by studying the genes and environmental factors that may cause it. Researchers will collect blood samples and medical information from about 300 patients in Ireland who have pulmonary fibrosis or related lung diseases, as well as from their family members. This study aims to identify genetic risk factors that could help doctors predict who is most at risk and eventually improve how the disease is diagnosed and treated.

Currently, doctors do not fully understand why pulmonary fibrosis develops, even though genes play an important role—especially in families where multiple relatives have the disease. By identifying genetic and environmental factors that increase risk, this research could lead to earlier diagnosis, better predictions of how the disease will progress, and more personalized care for patients and their families.