In addition to our staff members, we also have an innovator-in-residence. This program stems from Charles Lazarus who was a paradigm-shifting innovator.
The current Charles Lazarus Innovator-in-Residence, Jamie Wood, PhD, PT, aims to bring his expertise in both chronic pulmonary diseases and health technology to the center. Prior to joining the center, Dr. Wood worked as a physical therapist in Australia, focused on improving the quality of care for individuals with lung disorders. He has taught courses to physical therapists throughout the world on best clinical practices for treating respiratory disorders and continues to collaborate with his global partners. Learning firsthand about the difficulties faced by patients with lung diseases has driven Dr. Wood to design his own affordable airway clearance device, and he is currently working with the Mount Sinai Biodesign team to bring this to reality. Current airway clearance devices of this nature can cost patients several hundreds of dollars; the new device will be a fraction of the cost and therefore accessible to more patients, especially in low-income countries. He is also dedicated to developing low-cost technologies that can help parents quickly determine whether their child needs medical care. Dr. Wood’s dream is to use technological innovations to provide children around the world with access to the best possible respiratory care.