ATS Breathe Easy

COPD remains a major under-recognized public health crisis, with millions affected by delayed diagnosis, stigma, and barriers to essential care. On this episode of the ATS Breathe Easy podcast, Amy Attaway, MD, Cleveland Clinic, talks with Tonya Winders, president and CEO of Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform, about the State of COPD Report. They discuss the many causes of COPD beyond smoking, the importance of early detection and recognizing exacerbations, disparities in access to pulmonary rehabilitation, and the impact of COPD on patients and caregivers.

With the FDA approval of brensocatib, the first approved treatment specifically for non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, what does this breakthrough mean for patients and clinicians? In this episode of the ATS Breathe Easy podcast, host Ugo Ezema, MD, Tulane, speaks with ATS Treasurer Gregory Tino, MD, ATSF, University of Pennsylvania, about the science behind brensocatib, findings from the ASPEN clinical trial, and promising new therapies on the horizon.

Artificial intelligence is transforming respiratory care, from detecting lung nodules to assessing cancer risk, all to help physicians make faster, more informed decisions. In this episode of the ATS Breathe Easy podcast, host Patti Tripathi speaks with James Finigan, MD, National Jewish Health, about how AI is being integrated into respiratory cancer care. He explains how AI can help with lung cancer diagnosis, the difference between assistive and augmentative AI, and what physicians need to know as these technologies become part of their clinical practice.

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 come up along the way.

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 with host Ugo Ezema, MD, Tulane.

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-modifying therapies and what these advances mean for patients and pulmonologists, with host Ugo Ezema, MD, Tulane.

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 respiratory professionals with their communities, and how clinicians can turn patient experiences and scientific knowledge into meaningful advocacy.

Learn more about ATS Chapters: https://site.thoracic.org/membership/chapters

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 testing and targeted therapies, while patient Nicole Field shares her experience living with stage IV HER2-mutant lung cancer.

For more resources, check out these organizations:

LUNGevity Foundation: https://www.lungevity.org/
International Cancer Advocacy Network: https://askican.org/
Rexanna’s Foundation: https://rexannasfoundation.org/

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, Emily Brigham, MD, MHS, University of British Columbia, and host Erika Moseson, MD, MA discuss a new report by the ATS on how health care facilities and the practice of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine generate emissions and ways we can lessen their environmental impact.

Read the full report: https://academic.oup.com/annalsats/article/23/6/837/8524737

This is part two of a two-part discussion so be sure to watch the first part.

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, Emily Brigham, MD, MHS, University of British Columbia, and host Erika Moseson, MD, MA discuss a new report by the ATS on how health care facilities and the practice of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine generate emissions and ways we can lessen their environmental impact.

Read the full report: https://academic.oup.com/annalsats/article/23/6/837/8524737

This is part one of a two-part discussion so tune in next week for the conclusion.

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 other tips for managing asthma.

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, Cleveland Clinic, discuss why engineered stone can cause severe, rapidly progressive lung disease in young workers as well as the limitations of current workplace protections. On this episode of the ATS Breathe Easy podcast, they also highlight safer alternatives, the importance of recognizing occupational exposures, and what clinicians, employers, and consumers can do to help protect workers.

Important resources:

• Read the full ATS report: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42363709/
• Failure of wet methods to control silica exposures: Soo et al. Respirable dust and respirable crystalline silica exposures among workers at stone countertop fabrication shops in Georgia from 2017 through 2023: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40249150/
• Prevalence of silicosis among Australian countertop workers: Hoy et al. Prevalence and risk factors for silicosis among a large cohort of stone benchtop industry workers https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37328266/
• Rapid progression of artificial stone silicosis after exposure cessation: Leon-Jimenez et al. Artificial Stone Silicosis: Rapid Progression Following Exposure Cessation: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32563682/
• California engineered stone silicosis dashboard (updated weekly): https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DEODC/OHB/Pages/essdashboard.aspx

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 technologies benefit ICU patients, and how the medical infrastructure can be further improved.

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 individuals. Hosted by Erika Moseson, MD, host of the Air Health Our Health podcast. This episode highlights the research of clean air zones and the challenges that arise during the process of implementing these changes.

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 jeopardy. Host Patti Tripathi and Executive Director of The Union Cassandra Kelly-Cirino, PhD, discuss the effect of these funding cuts and what it will take to continue supporting research and patients alike.

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 Cajal Hospital, discusses how she and her team developed the study, the initial results, and what future positional treatments for OSA could look like on this episode of the ATS Breathe Easy podcast.

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 earlier diagnosis, ongoing challenges in treatment and lung transplantation, and promising results from the Phase 3 TETON clinical trials of inhaled treprostinil, which could become a fourth approved therapy for IPF. This episode is sponsored by United Therapeutics.

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 Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and patient advocate and founder of the Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome Network Donna Appell, RN, discuss how HPS has helped researchers better understand pulmonary fibrosis, and how research on rare diseases can generate insights that benefit much larger patient populations.

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, Charles Daley, MD, National Jewish Health, on the causes and symptoms of this disease. Learn how NTM is often missed in the initial screening, plus the environmental factors that can lead to infection, challenges in treatment, and the importance of ongoing research, public awareness, and clinician education.

KJZZ Arizona Public Radio: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/kjzz-91.5-fm-phoenix/
The Pulitzer Center: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pulitzer-center/
Conecta Arizona: https://www.linkedin.com/company/conectaarizona/
Terry Greene Sterling: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrygreenesterling/
NTM Info and Research: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ntmir/
Bronchiectasis and NTM Association: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bronchiectasis-and-ntm-association/