Lactoferrin (Lf), an iron-chelating glycoprotein of the innate immunity of human secretions, could be a key molecule exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial activities in CF airways. But there Lf may be hydrolyzed by human and bacterial proteases thus resulting in digested fragments unable to exert the beneficial effects of the undigested molecule. The entrapment of Lf in nano-particles as niosomes could protect Lf against proteases. Niosomes are vescicular structures, analogues to liposomes, but made of surfactants instead of phospholipids, that can entrap various molecules. In the past year, bovine Lf loaded niosomes (bLf-NIOs) have been prepared. BLf was used as it shows similar structure and functions of human Lf, it has been successfully employed in clinical trials, and it is generally recognized as a safe substance by FDA (USA). BLf in bLf-NIOs is resistant to proteolytic degradation and shows antibacterial activities similar to bLf. The aim of the project is to verify the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activity of bLf-NIOs in in vitro (primary human CF bronchial epithelia) and in vivo (animal models including CF mice) models infected with P. aeruginosa. This study should represent the basis for the development of the bLf delivery system to be administered as aerosol formulation in the treatment of CF airway infection.