Established 2025
Three Lakes 12-20 (TL 12-20) is a public research foundation focused on advancing therapies for pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and interstitial lung disease (ILD). Our mission, similar to that of its predecessor, Three Lakes Foundation, is to accelerate the development of effective treatments and translational tools by supporting innovative science and bridging promising ideas with clinical validation.
Operating within the Players Philanthropy Fund, a free-standing 501(c)(3) public charity, TL 12-20 is committed to transforming the future of care for PF and ILD patients, caregivers, and clinicians—driven by urgency, collaboration, and a deep dedication to improving lives.
Until every person can breathe freely, we refuse to sit still.
Our Team
Cheryl Nickerson-Nutter, PhD
Executive Director
Sean Tully
Advisory Board Chair
Dr. Paul Yaworsky, PhD
Advisory Board Member
Anna Podolanczuk, MD
Advisory Board Member
Understanding Our Mission
At Three Lakes 12-20, our mission is to accelerate development of effective therapies and translational resources for pulmonary fibrosis and ILD.
100,000+
Number of US Patients with pulmonary fibrosis
3-5 Years
Median Remaining Survival Years After Diagnosis
38%
Patients who need supplemental oxygen within 2 years of diagnosis
25-30%
Patients who will be referred for a lung transplant
Accelerating Research
Three Lakes 12-20 will focus on accelerating research and drug development by validating and improving access to human tissues and assays and by supporting the development of IND-enabling studies and early clinical trials. This work will not only attract additional funding for fibrotic diseases but will ultimately lead to safer and more effective treatment options.
PF COLLECT
Pulmonary Fibrosis Consortium for Living Lung Excised Tissue
Human Precision Cut Lung Slices (hPCLS) have been developed as a way to assess efficacy of novel IPF therapies but access to this model is limited. The PF-COLLECT Consortium will consist of Pharmaceutical and Foundation Members who will collaborate to validate cryopreservation and develop human based tissue resources and assays to accelerate the development of therapies for ILD and PF. Being able to store the tissue for an extended period of time will speed up drug discovery by making tissues readily accessible and enabling tissue to be banked for future studies.
Our Initiatives
We are committed to continuing and expanding the pivotal work of Three Lakes Foundation to accelerate therapies for pulmonary fibrosis. Our passion and focus is on enhancing the drug development path to improve quality and quantity of effective safe therapies.
Key Conferences & Events
Antifibrotic Drug Development Summit
Exploring Shared Fibrosis Biology and
Resolution Mechanisms
December 1-3, 2026
Boston, Massachusetts
Orphan Drug Summit
Rare disease developers, manufacturing partners, regulatory
teams, investors, and patient advocates connect
April 5-6, 2027
Boston, Massachusetts
American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference
The world’s most
important respiratory, critical care, and sleep medicine conference
May 14-19, 2027
New Orleans, Louisiana
European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress
The world’s largest annual
international meeting where experts gather to share cutting edge scientific advances
September 11-14, 2027
Milan, Italy
Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) Summit
World’s largest conference dedicated
to pulmonary fibrosis and ILD research, patient education, and community support.
November, 2027
Bellevue, WA
