University Times

The Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine at Pitt’s School of Medicine dedicated the Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease last month.

Made possible through a gift from the Simmons family, the center was established to provide state-of-the-art care for patients with interstitial lung disease, provide leadership in the understanding of basic mechanisms of lung inflammation and fibrosis, promote the translation of research into new treatments for patients and provide resources for patient and family education.

Interstitial lung disease is characterized by inflammation and fibrosis — scarring — of the lungs. It is a progressively debilitating and ultimately life-threatening malady with no known cure. Treatment often consists of medication therapy combined with healthy living practices such as regular exercise, eating right and not smoking.

The dedication coincided with the first Pittsburgh International Lung Conference, which took place Oct. 12-16 at Nemacolin Woodlands. The conference focused on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and featured internationally recognized researchers.