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PAULINE BIANCHI JOINS PULMONARY FIBROSIS FOUNDATION AS VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

CHICAGO, March 5, 2018 – The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF), the nation’s leading pulmonary fibrosis (PF) education and advocacy organization, has named Pauline Bianchi, RN, BSN, veteran nurse and pharmaceutical industry expert, as Vice President of Research and Development. Bianchi’s responsibilities include leading the PFF Care Center Network and PFF Therapeutics Network, both key elements of the organization’s strategic plan to bring high quality care to patients and accelerate the development of clinical trials.

“Pauline’s experience as both a nurse and executive in the pulmonary fibrosis area will allow us to enhance training and communications with our Care Center Network partners and with nurses across the country,” said William T. Schmidt, President and CEO of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. “Pauline’s deep understanding of the patient, heath-care provider and industry perspectives make her a unique and valuable asset to our team.”

In her most recent position as Senior Director of Medical Affairs at Veracyte, a leading genomics diagnostic company, Bianchi collaborated with the PFF on a patient survey about the barriers to a timely diagnosis which was presented at the biennial PFF Summit and published in the January 17 BMC Pulmonary Journal. She also worked closely on the Envisia Genomic Classifier, a diagnostic tool for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) which improves the ability to differentiate IPF from other interstitial lung diseases, and is less invasive than a surgical lung biopsy. While at InterMune (now Genentech), Bianchi was involved in clinical trials for pirfenidone, one of only two FDA approved drug therapies for IPF.

“I have worked with the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation for several years and it is a highly effective and dedicated organization that provides patients with important resources that are realistic and provide hope,” said Pauline Bianchi. “There is a tremendous increase in the research of pulmonary fibrosis and I am eager to help facilitate improved therapies and diagnostic tools.”

Bianchi will launch an interstitial lung disease (ILD) nursing network designed to provide training and share knowledge of best practices in ILD with the nursing community across the country.

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About the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation mobilizes people and resources to provide access to high quality care and to lead research for a cure so people with pulmonary fibrosis will live longer, healthier lives. The PFF collaborates with physicians, organizations, patients, and caregivers worldwide. The Pulmonary Fibrosis is a Better Business Bureau accredited charity. For more information, visit pulmonaryfibrosis.org or call 844.TalkPFF (844.825.5733) or 312.587.9272 from outside of the U.S.