• Pulmonology Faculty Receive New Research Grants: June 2024 | UPMC Physician Resources

• Alison Morris, MD, MS, Division Chief and professor of Medicine, recently received renewal of their NIH R38 grant funding their research titled "Pittsburgh Innovation in Collaborative Training of Residents Alliance.”

• John Evankovich, MD, Medical Director of the UPMC Jameson ICU and assistant professor of Medicine, was awarded NIH R03 grant funding for his project titled "Fibronectin Extra Domain A Degradation as an Antifibrotic Approach in Lung Fibrosis."

• Priya Borker, MD, assistant professor of Medicine, received grant funding on her new K23 supporting her research titled "Understanding the association of sleep on monocyte action in HIV infection.”

• New Research Grants in the Division of PACCSM: October 2024 | UPMC Physician Resources

• John Evankovich, MD, received an NIH R56 grant for this research titled "Indole Metabolites as Xenobiotic Danger signals in Acute Lung Injury.” Dr. Evankovich studies the molecular biology of lung injury. His laboratory is interested in the intersection of three molecular systems in the innate immune system, and how they influence inflammation and cell death pathways in the lung.

• Oliver Eickelberg, MD, FERS, ATSF, and Marta Bueno, PhD, received an NIH R01 grant for their research titled "Role of Plasma Cells in Chronic Rejection after Lung Transplantation." Dr. Eickelberg's research focuses on deciphering the mechanisms of tissue fibrosis, particularly in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and chronic lung allograft dysfunction after transplantation. Dr. Bueno’s research focus has revolved around diseases characterized by abnormal tissue repair and exaggerated remodeling, including pulmonary hypertension and scleroderma.

• Chadi Hage, MD, received an NIH R01 for his research titled "An Automated Frailty Scoring System for Lung Transplantation Based on Bio-Geo-Composition." Dr. Hage’s research focuses on fungal diagnostics and lung transplant outcome studies.

Division Research Published in 2024

• UPMC Comprehensive Lung Center Launches New Vaping Clinic | UPMC Physician Resources

• As the number of vaping users in the United States continues to rise, the UPMC Comprehensive Lung Center is combatting the vaping epidemic with the launch of a new Vaping Clinic. The clinic’s main goals are to alleviate patients’ symptoms and increase knowledge on vaping-induced lung injury.Specifically, the clinic is for patients who vape and are interested in assessment of their lung health or are experiencing respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, shortness of breath, coughing up sputum, recurrent infections, bronchitis, and asthma-like symptoms.

• Advanced Robotic Technology Launches at UPMC Hanover | UPMC Physician Resources

• New robotic technology is now available at UPMC Hanover to diagnose lung cancer earlier. The first two procedures at UPMC Hanover were performed using the Ion® by Intuitive, a new robotic-assisted system. Ayman Bishay, MD, and Nicolas Habib, MD, both pulmonologists, performed these robotic biopsies, with assistance from Troy Moritz, DO, FACOS, chief of thoracic surgery in central Pa., on patients whose potentially cancerous nodules or lesions in their lungs were difficult to access with traditional biopsy tools. 

• UPMC Announces Partnership with INTERLINK COE Networks & Programs | UPMC Physician Resources

• UPMC is excited to announce our partnership with INTERLINK COE Networks & Programs as an addition to its solid organ transplant network. This partnership includes the adult transplant programs at UPMC Presbyterian, pediatric transplant programs at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and kidney transplantation at UPMC Harrisburg.The UPMC Lung Transplant Program received an additional designation as part of INTERLINK’s ELITE status, which is the highest ranking for their Programs of Excellence. To attain this level, programs must demonstrate superior results across a wide range of validated risk-adjusted metrics.

• Robotic Bronchoscopy Now Available for Patients in North Central Pa. | UPMC Physician Resources

• UPMC experts in north central Pa. now have a new tool to use in the battle against lung cancer – with the introduction of the Ion® by Intuitive robotic bronchoscopy system at UPMC Williamsport.

• UPMC Receives Accreditation as a Pulmonary Embolism COE | UPMC Physician Resources

• Under the leadership of Belinda Rivera-Lebron, MD, MS, director of the UPMC Acute Pulmonary Embolism Program and director of the UPMC Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension Program, UPMC Presbyterian has achieved a prestigious accreditation as a Pulmonary Embolism Center of Excellence™ by the National PERT Consortium™. The PERT Consortium™ emphasizes that this designation “highlights UPMC’s commitment to delivering outstanding, evidence-based care for patients with pulmonary embolism and also marks a significant milestone in the shared mission to advance treatment and improve patient outcomes for pulmonary embolism.”