NUS scientists have discovered a novel property of a protein found in human lungs which could lead to the development of biologic drugs to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a debilitating, progressive lung disease that is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
The research was led by Associate Professor Ge Ruowen (left) from NUS Biological Sciences and published in the prestigious scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in January 2022.
The research team worked with Professor Fred Wong (right) at NUS Pharmacology, to conduct laboratory studies to examine the effectiveness of delivering recombinant ISM1 protein directly via droplets into the airway. The researchers observed a reduction in lung inflammation, suppression of emphysema development, and restoration of lung functions. These findings lend support to the development of ISM1 as a potential treatment for COPD.
