Research and Caregiver Community to Convene at World's Largest Cystic Fibrosis Medical Conference

ATLANTA, Oct. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation:

WHAT:  The 28th Annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (NACFC), the largest collaborative forum of its kind.

The conference will convene more than 4,000 cystic fibrosis research scientists, clinicians and caregivers from 20 countries to explore the latest advances in drug development, research and care, including:

• Progress of clinical research targeting the underlying cause of CF;
• Advances in understanding CF microbiology and treating lung infections;
• Harnessing the power of innovation in other fields to design a CF care model for the future;
• Novel approaches and technologies to address all CF gene mutations; and
• Best practices in CF clinical care at every stage of life.

WHEN:  Thursday, Oct. 9 to Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014

WHERE:  The Georgia World Congress Center
285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW
Atlanta, GA 30303

WHO:  Media interviews are available with:

• Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., president and CEO, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation;
• Preston W. Campbell, III, M.D., executive vice president, medical affairs, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; and
• Experts from all CF disciplines.

WHY:  Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease that causes life-threatening lung infections, lung damage and premature death. It affects about 30,000 people in the U.S. and 70,000 worldwide.

NACFC is sponsored by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which has fueled dramatic progress in the quality and length of life for people with the disease.  Because of Foundation-supported research and care, the life expectancy of a child born with CF has doubled in the last 30 years. Additionally, gains in drug discovery have generated unprecedented interest and engagement across the biotech and pharmaceutical industries in the area of cystic fibrosis research.

About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world's leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. The Foundation funds more cystic fibrosis research than any other organization, and nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of Foundation support. Based in Bethesda, Md., the Foundation also supports and accredits a national care center network that has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a model of care for a chronic disease. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a donor-supported nonprofit organization. For more information, go to www.cff.org.

SOURCE Cystic Fibrosis Foundation