ATS Breathe Easy

ATS Breathe Easy - ATS 2026: How ATS Chapters Help Support Career and Community Development

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

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ATS Breathe Easy - Understanding HER2-Positive Lung Cancer, from Genetic Testing to Targeted Treatment

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/

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ATS Breathe Easy - Lessening Health Care's Contributions To Climate Change, Part 2

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.

ATS Breathe Easy - Lessening Health Care's Contributions To Climate Change, Part 1

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.

ATS Breathe Easy: Are You Using Your Asthma Inhaler Correctly?

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.

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ATS Breathe Easy - Engineered Stone, Silicosis, and the Fight to Protect Workers

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

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ATS Breathe Easy - ATS 2026: How Data Science and Precision Medicine go Hand-in-Hand

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.

ATS Breathe Easy - ATS 2026: How A New Oral Medication Could Change OSA Treatment

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.

ATS Breathe Easy - ATS 2026: Improving Urban Air Quality, One Result at a Time

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.

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ATS Breathe Easy - How Funding Cuts Could Endanger Tuberculosis Research

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.

ATS Breathe Easy – ATS 2026: New Pavlov Study Could Help Sleep Apnea Patients Rest Easier

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.

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ATS Breathe Easy - Innovations in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Care

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.

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ATS Breathe Easy - ATS 2026: How a Rare Genetic Disorder Could Change Lung Disease Care

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.

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ATS Breathe Easy - Understanding NTM Lung Disease

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/

ATS Breathe Easy - ATS 2026: Delving into the Future of Rare Lung Disease

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?

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ATS Breathe Easy: Tackling Bacterial Pneumonia in ICU Patients

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 Pharmacy in St. Louis, explains to host Eddie Qian, MD, Vanderbilt University, why treating HABP/VABP needs to be tailored to the patient, how rapid diagnostics have pros and cons, and the importance of balancing aggressive early treatment with careful reassessment. This episode is sponsored by Innoviva Specialty Therapeutics.

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ATS Breathe Easy – Hantavirus: Beyond the Headlines with ATS Expert, Dr. Michelle Harkins

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 spread of COVID, what tests are used to detect hantavirus, and what research is happening in prevention and treatment of hantavirus.

Re-Release: ATS Breathe Easy - ATS 2026 Keynotes Preview

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/

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ATS Breathe Easy – How Pulse Oximeters Lead to Delayed Care for Patients of Color

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 University, discuss how this disparity can affect patient care, the push to develop more broadly-tested equitable tools, and more on this episode of the ATS Breathe Easy podcast.

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ATS Breathe Easy: ATS 2026 Keynotes Preview, Part 2

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://registration.experientevent.com/ShowATS261/Flow/ATT?atslogin=1&marketingcode=YOUTUBE

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