David Zhang

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Calling all centers serving individuals with Telomere Biology Disorders!
Team Telomere is expanding our Centers of Excellence network to advance coordinated, high-quality TBD care, research, and advocacy.
Applications due April 17, 2026 (5PM ET).

📊 Polygenic risk and rare variants in endotypes of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a genetic analysis of population-based and case–control cohorts

🔹 Common and rare genetic variation confer context-specific genetic risk in #IPF, both competitively and cooperatively

🔓 tinyurl.com/ycxxpxf5

This study would be impossible without Anna Duckworth
and all our incredible collaborators! Special gratitude goes to the @lancetrespirmed.bsky.social editorial team and reviewers, who penned this amazing editorial!

t.co/0cyWGBzRGk

Why is this important? A genetic basis for IPF heterogeneity enables endotype-focused research over all-comer approaches and advances precision medicine. Polygenic factors that modify high-risk rare variants offer a path to understanding disease-modifying pathways in IPF.

Polygenic risk and rare variants in endotypes of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a genetic analysis of population-based and case–control cohorts Common and rare genetic variation confer context-specific genetic risk in patients with IPF both competitively and cooperatively. In contrast to known IPF common risk variants, the telomere length PRS...

Genetic heterogeneity in IPF has been a major gap. In our new paper, we define genetic endotypes of IPF, uncover subtype-specific risk, improve disease prediction, and identify telomere-associated polygenic risk as a key, previously unrecognized driver.

thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Age-dependent Genetic Risk in Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients and Relatives https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.07.25342496v1

Support Young Investigator Draft 2026 We are thrilled to announce that the Young Investigator Draft will be held at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on January 31, 2026. This is a one-of-a-kind evening, honoring incredible rare...

I’m delighted to partner with Uplifting Athletes and @teamtelomere.bsky.social! This grant will enable new research to support the 1 in 10 Americans diagnosed with a #RareDisease. Join me as #WeTackleRare at the Young Investigator Draft on Jan. 31! #YID26 bit.ly/yid2026
@columbiamed.bsky.social

Genetic Associations in Non-Europeans with Pulmonary Fibrosis: Analysis of the All of Us Cohort

Key genetic risk factors of IPF are less prevalent in non-European individuals but confer similar risk of disease when present
@davidzhangmd.bsky.social
#medsky

🔗 tinyurl.com/2w8jpj9r

This is a big advance, folks. We've never had a disease-modifying drug for this devastating inherited disease
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
www.economist.com/science-and-...

Delighted to share our new study evaluating the association of rare variants in telomere and non-telomere monogenic adult-onset Pulmonary Fibrosis genes and IPF patient survival where we also intersected their effects with #PRS of IPF.