Several studies have reported a high rate of pulmonary fibrosis-associated adverse effects in patients treated with mTor Inhibitors, Sirolimus and Everolimus (EVE), potent immunosuppressants used in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) undergoing lung transplantation. In this context, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in airway cells may play a pivotal role. The project aimed to assess the capability of EVE to induce EMT in primary human bronchial epithelial cells (CF and non-CF) and immortalized cell lines (bronchial epithelial cells wild-type and homozygous for F508del); further, to identify, by several biomolecular strategies including microarray and miRNAs assay, early diagnostic EMT biomarkers and therapeutic targets able to minimize onset/progression of pulmonary adverse effects in mTOR-I treated CF patients receiving lung transplantation.