Patricia J. Sime, M.D., chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at VCU Health, is a dedicated clinician and researcher leading efforts to develop new therapies for lung fibrosis.

This devastating disease causes progressive scarring in the lungs, leaving patients short of breath and struggling with everyday activities. 

In her lab at VCU, Dr. Sime and her team, including post-doctoral trainee Margaret Freeberg, Ph.D. made a breakthrough discovery: a receptor that can sense stiffness in scarred tissue. This finding, linked to a Nobel Prize-winning discovery, could hold the key to halting the fibrosis process. In a healthy lung, the tissue is flexible and able to expand and contract with breathing, but in fibrosis, the lung tissue becomes stiff and less able to function. 

Sime and her team are examining the presence of the protein Piezo2 in fibrotic lung tissue. Piezo2 is a “force-sensitive ion channel” that acts as microscopic gates on cell surfaces, allowing them to detect and respond to mechanical stimuli such as pressure, stretch and touch. 

“By targeting this receptor, we hope to stop or even reverse the scarring process,” Dr. Sime explains. “We are using a 3D computer model to screen chemical compounds that might block Piezo2’s activation. Our goal is to identify potential drug candidates to treat fibrosis, focusing on inhibitors.” 

With support from VCU TechTransfer, Dr. Sime’s team has secured funding and is pursuing additional support from the National Institutes of Health. “Our research is driven by the desire to reduce suffering and improve the quality of life for those affected by scarring diseases,” she says. 

The next steps for Dr. Sime and her team are to explore how this receptor could be applied to treat fibrosis in other organs, such as the heart. The team is at the center of a cross disciplinary group of clinicians, researchers and students both locally and internationally focused on finding cures for scarring diseases. 

“Our ultimate goal is to improve the lives of patients by preventing the debilitating effects of lung fibrosis and potentially offer a cure,” Sime says. 

Additionally, Dr. Sime is helping to establish a lung transplant program at VCU to assist patients with advanced fibrosis, signaling a new chapter in the fight against the disease.