Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by a progressive and permanent decline of lung function that eventually leads to expiry. A study published in 2017 performed by Kumar et al. revealed that the disease may not be as irreversible as was once believed. The research discovered a novel role for the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) in which it acts as a master regulator for DNA double-strand break repair. In doing so, Kumar et al. may have made a breakthrough that could redefine the translational approaches of IPF.