ATS Breathe Easy

Career paths are rarely straight roads, instead taking unexpected twists and turns. Past ATS President M. Patricia Rivera, MD, ATSF, tells host Ugo Ezema, Tulane, how her career shifted and changed as she grew as both a professional and a person. She also provides advice for those early and mid-career professionals who are thinking about their next moves and how to navigate challenges that may com...

What does it take to go from your first ATS international conference to becoming ATS president? Raed Dweik, MD, MBA, ATSF, immediate past-president of the ATS, discusses his journey from an attendee in 1994 to becoming a part of the ATS community, ultimately serving as ATS President in 2024-2025. He discusses his legacy, how important the international conference is to building community, and more...

Currently, there are three treatments currently available for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension, which all work to slow the rate of loss of lung function. However, the treatment landscape is likely to evolve with the positive TETON trials demonstrating that inhaled treprostinil has independent antifibrotic properties. Expert Steven Nathan, MD, Inova, looks ahead to the future of disease-modi...

 Did you know there might be a state chapter of the ATS near you? Host Erika Moseson, MD, MA, Oregon Thoracic Society, talks with Edward Kilb, MD, ATSF, South Carolina Thoracic Society, and W. Dwight Miller, MD, MS, Florida Thoracic Society, about the vital role of ATS state chapters in education, professional development, community building, and advocacy. They discuss how local chapters connect r...

While most people are familiar with HER2 in regards to breast cancer,  there are HER2 mutations in lung cancer. On this episode of the ATS Breathe Easy podcast, host Patti Tripathi explores HER2-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), an uncommon but increasingly treatable form of lung cancer. Oncologist Christine Lovly, MD, PhD, City of Hope, explains the rapidly evolving science behind HER2 t...

The health care sector is responsible for 8.5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and around 4.6 percent globally. This gives clinicians and healthcare delivery systems the potential power to both improve patient care through better, less polluting delivery and improve global health by mitigating climate change. Jared Radbel, MD, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Emi...

The health care sector is responsible for 8.5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and around 4.6 percent globally. This gives clinicians and healthcare delivery systems the potential power to both improve patient care through better, less polluting delivery and improve global health by mitigating climate change. Jared Radbel, MD, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Emi...

There are various types of inhalers, but how do you use them to ensure the treatment is given effectively? Improper use of inhalers is more common than you might think. Registered respiratory therapist Givenchy Ayisi-Boahene, NYU Langone and host Amy Attaway, MD, Cleveland Clinic, walk through the difference between the various types of inhalers, common mistakes patients make in using each, and ot...

 There has been a sharp spike in silicosis diagnoses among workers who work with engineered stone countertops. The ATS released a report in 2026 on the subject, “Silicosis in the Artificial Stone Countertop Industry: An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report”. One of the report’s authors Kristin Cummings, MD, MPH, California Department of Public Health, and expert Maeve McMurdo, MBChB,...

Clinicians and medical providers rely on data to tailor care plans to their patients. Aartik Sarma, MD, University of California, San Francisco, Pat Lyons, MD, Oregon Health & Science University, and host Lekshmi Santhosh, MD, the University of California, San Francisco, discuss the use of data science in critical care medicine and how it has evolved over time. They dive into how new technolog...

The most common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an at-home CPAP machine, but patients often remove their mask in their sleep or stop using the machine all together. Neomi Shah, MD, Mount Sinai Hospital, and host Ugo Ezema, MD, Tulane University, discuss a novel oral medication that opens a patient’s airway, exponentially improving their quality of sleep.  

Cities are working to make congestion zones safer for their populations, especially for sensitive groups like children and those with respiratory conditions. Emilia Simeonova, PhD, John Hopkins University, and James Scales, PhD, Queen Mary University of London, discuss how decisions made in major metropolises like New York City, Stockholm, and London affect the quality of air and overall health of...

 Tuberculosis is a difficult, infectious respiratory disease, and patients often have a low quality of life. Organizations like the ATS and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) are looking to combat health inequities and support patient communities. However, due to recent funding cuts, future research on tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases are in jeopar...

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition that affects millions globally, causing daytime sleepiness, lack of oxygen, and higher risks of developing cardiac issues. A new randomized control trial, called the Pavlov study, evaluated the efficacy and long-term conditioning effects of a positional therapy device for treating positional obstructive sleep apnea. Irene Cano-Pumarega, MD, PhD, Ramón y...

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and often fatal lung disease, which has unknown causes and no cure. But researchers are working tirelessly to uncover more about this deadly disease. On this episode of the ATS Breathe Easy podcast, host Patti Tripathi interviews pulmonologist and transplant specialist Steven Nathan, MD, about advances in the treatment IPF, the importance of ear...

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) is a rare genetic disorder that causes albinism, bleeding problems, and a high risk of developing pulmonary fibrosis. However, patients with HPS provide an important population for researchers looking for biomarkers that predict the onset and progression of pulmonary fibrosis. On this ATS Breathe Easy podcast episode, expert Resat Cinar, PhD, MBA, National Institute...

On this episode of the ATS Breathe Easy podcast, delve into journalist Terry Greene Sterling’s journey of being diagnosed with nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease. Greene Sterling's piece on living with NTM lung disease, funded by the Pulitzer Center, recently aired on KJZZ, the NPR affiliate in Phoenix. Host Patti Tripathi also interviews NTM specialist and Greene Sterling’s doctor, C...

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare lung disease that has become more treatable thanks to dedicated efforts from researchers and patient advocacy groups. ATS Past President Gregory Downey, MD, ATSF, National Jewish Health, discusses advances in understanding and treating LAM with host Ugo Ezema, MD. What role do patient networks play and what does the future hold for research? 

Hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia (HABP) and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (VABP) are serious conditions that often affect critically ill patients in ICUs. These infections carry a high risk of mortality and are frequently caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria like MRSA. On this episode of the ATS Breathe Easy podcast, Scott Micek, PharmD, University of Health Sciences and Pharmac...

When news of the Andes strain of the hantavirus broke out, the world seemed to hold its breath. But what do we know about the hantavirus? Expert Michelle Harkins, MD, University of New Mexico, discusses what the hantavirus is and how it is transmitted. She and host Ugo Ezema, MD, Tulane University, delve deeper at the ATS International Conference into how this hantavirus outbreak differs from the...

Host Ugo Ezema, MD, Tulane University, speaks with University of Cincinnati's Laurah Turner, PhD, one of ATS 2026's keynote speakers who addressed the hot topic of AI in medical education. Check out ATS NOW, tailored education anytime, anywhere. All #ATS2026 attendees get free access to this innovative, on-demand platform through the end of the year. Learn more: https://atsnow.thoracic.org/ 

Pulse oximetry is a key technology, providing a quick, non-invasive way to estimate blood oxygen levels. But one issue with this tool is that it can overestimate oxygen levels in patients with darker skin pigmentation, which means they can appear less sick than they are, leading to delays in receiving treatments. Ashraf Fawzy, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and host Eddie Qian, MD, Vanderbilt Un...

ATS 2026 is quickly approaching, and with so many great events, attendees are sure to enjoy every minute of the conference. On this second keynote preview, host Ugo Ezema, MD, Tulane University, is speaking with University of Cincinnati's Laurah Turner, PhD, Tuesday’s keynote speaker who will be addressing the hot topic of AI in medical education. There’s still time to register for ATS 2026! https...

ATS 2026 is quickly approaching! This iteration of the international conference will feature amazing panels, speakers, and forums. On this episode of the ATS Breathe Easy, host Ugo Ezema, MD, Tulane University, gives us a preview by highlighting the keynotes on Sunday and Monday. Katherine Hisert, MD, PhD, National Jewish Health, discusses the Sunday keynote: "Vaccines - Past, Present and Future"...

 Vaccines are essential to public health, yet the current Department of Health and Human Service leadership has led changes in vaccine recommendations that are not grounded in scientific evidence. Experts Tina Hartert, MD, MPH, Vanderbilt University, and Ryan Maves, MD, Wake Forest University, discuss with host Patti Tripathi the multi-professional society effort to protect and promote a science-b...