Research takes us further

Many Canadians with cystic fibrosis are living longer, have taken deeper breaths than ever before, and are encouraged and excited about their future. But our work is not done. For Canadians with CF, life is still too challenging and too short. You can help to change that.

Two lab technicians working in a Sick Kids laboratory.

Research has changed the cystic fibrosis story

Our investments in research, made possible through the generosity of our donors, have led to outstanding progress in support of people living with cystic fibrosis. From discovering the gene responsible for CF to creating the Toronto protocol to repair donor lungs, researchers funded by Cystic Fibrosis Canada have gone further in discovery and are closer to a cure than ever before.

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Snapshot of cystic fibrosis research achievements

In funding more than $210 million in CF research since 1960, Cystic Fibrosis Canada has proudly had a hand in nearly every major CF discovery. It was Cystic Fibrosis Canada-funded Canadian researchers who:

Discovered the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis, opening the door to targeting the cause of the disease rather than its symptoms.

Demonstrated the benefits of revolutionary high fat diets that were developed in Canada and adopted globally, significantly addressing malnutrition in cystic fibrosis.

Purified the CFTR protein, improving our understanding of its structure and function, and leading to the development of KALYDECO™.

Developed the “Toronto Protocol” that has now been broadly adopted to repair donor lungs and improve transplant outcomes.

Identified a novel approach to treating bacterial infections that was adopted as a best practice in clinical care.

Cystic fibrosis research we fund

Our investment in research complements global efforts and helps to advance the greatest health-related needs of our community. We partner with like-minded organizations and invest where we can help move the needle and focus on areas that are not only priorities to Canadians living with CF, but where our community can feel the impact sooner rather than later.

Our research review panels include a selection of community reviewers, ensuring that the research we invest in is impactful for Canadians who live with CF. These community reviewers sit on our review panels alongside scientists who ensure the research we fund is of the greatest scientific merit.

Take a look at our latest research:

2024 Research competition results

2023 Research competition results

2022 Research competition results

A brighter future is possible

Our approach to funding CF research

Cystic Fibrosis Canada works with our community to determine their health-related needs and the research we fund is rooted in addressing these health priorities. Proposals by Canadian researchers are reviewed by a panel of scientific experts and CF community reviewers to determine the most relevant. Our research funding is categorized as follows:

Multi-disciplinary Team grants on high priority projects
Discovery grants to support laboratory and clinical research projects
Early career investigator awards and research fellowships
Seed funding for higher-risk innovative projects

Learn more about Momentum, our exciting new approach to funding research

From the CF lab to life without limits

We have made remarkable progress in changing the cystic fibrosis story since our founding, thanks to excellence in research and the passionate involvement of our community. Take a closer look at the direct, personal impact that research has on Canadians affected by CF, in our most recent reports and videos of two of the research projects we are funding that have ranked highly among our community reviewers.

Research Report 2022-24 CF Canada Annual Impact Report 2023

Learn about two CF research projects

Meet some of our researchers

See all blog articles

Research

Building the Future of CF Care: Dr. Rebecca O’Leary’s Clinical Fellowship

Cystic Fibrosis Canada is proud to celebrate Dr. Rebecca O’Leary, the recipient of the 2025 Clinical Fellowship award – an opportunity funded by Cystic Fibrosis Canada that supports clinicians in pursuing advanced training in cystic fibrosis (CF) care.

Published research

Cell Reports: cAMP triggers Na+ absorption by distal airway surface epithelium in cystic fibrosis swine
European Respiratory Journal: Ex vivo delivery of regulatory T cells for control of alloimmune priming in the donor lung
Journal of Cystic Fibrosis: The feasibility of home monitoring of young people with cystic fibrosis: Results from CLIMB-CF
Molecular Systems Biology: CFTR interactome mapping using the mammalian membrane two-hybrid high-throughput screening system
National Library of Medicine: Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes onset can be predicted using biomarkers measured at birth

Core facilities funded by CF Canada

Cystic Fibrosis Canada provides funding to various core facilities that offer valuable research products and services to researchers across Canada to better our understanding of CF and enable important advances in CF treatments.

We have funded the Canadian Burkholderia cepacia Complex Research and Referral Repository (CBCCRRR) at the University of British Columbia, since 2001.

The repository offers bacteria identification and strain typing services to all CF clinics across the country. As more CF clinics in Canada use the resource regularly to identify types of bacteria in their patient populations, the repository is well-positioned as a national resource to recognize shifts in the prevalence of bacterial infections and alert clinics of possible outbreaks so that swift action may be taken.

Learn more about the CBCCRRR

The Canadian Burkholderia cepacia Complex Research and Referral Repository (CBCCRRR) serves as a Cystic Fibrosis Canada-funded core facility to the CF clinical and research communities across the country. Located in the lab of Dr. David Speert at the University of British Columbia, the Repository has been working with Canadian clinics since 1994 and has been funded by Cystic Fibrosis Canada since 2001. Dr. Speert is Founder and Director of the Repository as well as co-founder of the International B. cepacia Working Group.

The Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) consists of at least 18 closely related, but distinct, species of bacteria. In 2013, 4.4% of all individuals in the Canadian CF Patient Registry were reported to be infected with BCC. These pathogens are particularly concerning for individuals with CF because they may cause serious pulmonary infections and tend to be difficult to treat due to their resistance to many antibiotics. The potential for spread between CF patients is also of prime concern.

Different species in the complex demonstrate variable severity and clinical outcomes; therefore, when an individual is infected with BCC, identification of the specific bacterial species is important in order to guide appropriate therapy. Knowledge of the species and strain is also essential for tracking the spread of infection among CF patients. For example, identification of the same strain of BCC in several patients at a clinic may indicate transfer between patients. However, BCC are often difficult to differentiate from one another and require sophisticated biochemical and molecular analyses to distinguish between the various species or strains within a given species.

The CBCCRRR offers expert BCC species identification and strain typing services to all CF clinics across the country. As more CF clinics in Canada use the resource regularly to identify BCC in their patient populations, the CBCCRRR will be well-positioned as a national resource to recognize shifts in the prevalence of BCC infections and to alert clinics of possible outbreaks so that swift action may be taken.

In addition to its roles in the clinical setting, the Repository serves an important function for the CF research community by archiving BCC isolates obtained from CF patients. To date, the Repository has collected 2,500 isolates, all of which have been de-identified to protect patient information. CF researchers may request these isolates for studies to gain a better understanding of BCC infection and to investigate potential treatments. To learn more about the facility and its services, please visit the CBCCRRR website.

Cystic Fibrosis Canada has provided critical funding for other Canadian facilities, including:

The CFIT Program at the Hospital for Sick Children
The Primary Airway Cell Biobank at McGill University

How to support CF research

From our founding 65 years ago, the generous support of Canadians has driven our research program. No matter the size of gift, every dollar counts toward the vital advancement of new treatments for people living with the burden of cystic fibrosis. Thank you for your valuable support.

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