Researchers at National Jewish Health and colleagues have identified a mechanism involved in the formation of mucus plugs in asthma. Mucus plugs are thick, sticky accumulations of mucus that can form in asthma patients resulting in the blockage of airways. Researchers identified a protein involved in the generation of pathologic mucus present in plugs, which is a prominent feature of the disease in patients with type 2 inflammatory asthma. The knowledge of this protein provides researchers with a potential new drug target for mucus obstruction in asthma patients. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio dedicated its new $472 million Multispecialty and Research Hospital, the only facility of its kind in South Texas where patients will have access to top specialists and pioneering therapies, especially in cancer treatment.