Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Research

Indu Ayappa, PhD 
Professor of Medicine
Sleep Disordered Breathing and Neurocognitive Outcomes

Sonali Bose, MD 
Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics
Early Life Exposures and Lung Health

Neha Goel, MD 
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Critical Care Outcomes ARDS Management Physiology of Breathing

Jaime Hook, MD 
Assistant Professor of Medicine and Microbiology
Acute Lung Injury and Lung Infections

Monica Kraft, MD 
Professor of Medicine
Severe Asthma Mechanisms and Phenotyping

Vaishnavi Kundel, MD 
Associate Professor of Medicine
Sleep Disordered Breathing Cardiac Imaging

Alison Lee, MD 
Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics
Indoor Air Pollution and Lung Development

Patty J. Lee, MD 
Professor of Medicine
ARDS, COPD, and Healthy Lung Aging

Ankit Parekh, PhD 
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Sleep Disordered Breathing

Charles A. Powell, MD, MBA 
Professor of Medicine
Lung Cancer Cell Signaling and Immune Environment

David Rapoport, MD 
Professor of Medicine
Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation Sleep Disordered Breathing

Linda Rogers, MD
Professor of Medicine
Digital technology and Severe Refractory Asthma Phenotyping

Neomi Shah, MD, MPH, MS
Professor of Medicine
Sleep Disordered Breathing and Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes

Pranai Tandon, MD 
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Artificial Intelligence and Deep Machine Learning

Thomas Tolbert, MD 
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Sleep Disordered Breathing and Diastolic Heart Failure

Andrew Varga, MD, PhD 
Associate Professor of Medicine
Sleep Disordered Breathing and Neurocognition

Hideo Watanabe, MD, PhD 
Associate Professor of Medicine and Genetics and Genomic Sciences
Ontogeny of Lung Cancer Cells

Juan Wisnivesky, MD, DrPH 
Professor of Medicine
Asthma and Lung Cancer Epidemiology and Outcomes

Faculty within the Division are engaged in many research projects designed to explore and address pulmonary conditions and diseases. These initiatives span from basic science to clinical applications, and focus on research areas such as lung development, infections, injury, repair, and aging; asthma; bronchiectasis; and the impacts of environmental exposures and climate change on lung function. Our portfolio extends to studies on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, interstitial lung disease, and sarcoidosis. We are also committed to exploring how artificial intelligence and machine learning can enhance our clinical decision support systems. 

Across these efforts, our goal remains the same: to deepen our understanding of pulmonary diseases and conditions in order to develop innovative diagnostic tools and treatment.

Researchers associated with pulmonary disease projects include:

• Christian D. Becker, MD, PhD
• Sonali Bose, MD
• Sakshi Dua, MBBS, FCCP, ATSF
• Kathryn R. Dubowski, MD
• Jaime Hook, MD
• Jaymin Kathriya, PhD
• Sojin Kim, PhD
• Monica Kraft, MD
• J. Lee, MD
• Alison Lee, MD
• Adam Morgenthau, MD 
• Nicole Ng, MD
• Maria Padilla, MD
• Charles A. Powell, MD, MBA
• Linda Rogers, MD
• Pranai Tandon, MD
• Hideo Watanabe, MD, PhD

Our critical care medicine research is aimed at improving patient outcomes and treatment practices. Our faculty focus on enhancing noninvasive respiratory support, evaluating predictive tools for patient management, addressing health equity in medical devices, and exploring advanced monitoring techniques for respiratory failure. We are also participating in a multicenter adaptive trial that evaluates the safety and efficacy of emergency care strategies for cardiac arrest and respiratory infection patients.

Researcher associated with critical care medicine projects:

• Neha N. Goel, MD

By combining in-lab polysomnography, home sleep testing, and actigraphy with advanced techniques such as polysomnogram signal processing, high-field MR imaging, PET imaging, and artificial intelligence/machine learning, our researchers are studying the intricate relationships between obstructive sleep apnea, sleep duration, cardiovascular disease, and metabolism. We are additionally exploring the impacts of sleep disturbances on brain health, cognition, and Alzheimer's disease biomarkers, particularly in aging populations and at-risk groups.

Other areas of investigation include the effects of sleep duration on asthma and lung function, as well as the influence of chronic short sleep on immune system function. On the clinical front, our researchers are developing innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for sleep disorders, which includes creating AI-powered clinical decision support tools for sleep apnea patients, and potential treatments for sleep disturbances related to long COVID.

Researchers associated with sleep medicine projects include:

• Indu A. Ayappa, PhD
• Oren Cohen, MD
• Emmanuel During, MD
• Korey Kam, PhD
• Vaishnavi Kundel, MD
• Alison Lee, MD
• Anna Mullins, PhD
• Ankit Parekh, PhD
• David Rapoport, MD
• Linda Rogers, MD
• Neomi A. Shah, MD
• Thomas Tobert, MD
• Andrew Varga, MD