Respiratory Epidemiology

The Respiratory Epidemiology Group is an interdisciplinary group of investigators who study the epidemiology and health outcomes of pulmonary conditions.

Our Mission:

  • To apply state-of-the-art epidemiologic and biostatistical methods to study health outcomes, in particular disability, mortality, and impaired health-related quality of life, in a broad array of pulmonary conditions as well as in lung transplantation.
  • To identify risk factors, in particular environmental and occupational factors, for adverse and beneficial health outcomes.
  • To help refine candidate selection for lung transplantation.
  • To translate science into policy aimed at reducing the burden of respiratory disease and improving quality of life.

Our vision:

  • To reduce the burden of chronic respiratory disease.
  • To decrease suffering, lost years of good quality of life, and death from pulmonary disease.
  • To improve survival, functioning, and quality of life after lung transplantation.

Our areas of research include:

  • Development of worsened impairment, disability, and deficits in quality of life in various respiratory conditions and prior to and following lung transplantation.
  • The impact of pre-operative body composition (e.g., sarcopenia, adiposity, frailty) on disability, quality of life, and survival following lung transplantation.
  • Health outcomes in over a range of respiratory disease severity, including asthma and COPD.
  • Impact of environmental exposures, including secondhand smoke exposure and air pollution, on patients with respiratory conditions
  • The role of antifungal agents in skin cancer in lung transplantation
  • Health care costs of lung disease, including the indirect costs of work loss.
  • Interaction between occupation and lung disease
    • Effect of occupational exposures on health outcomes
    • Impact of obstructive lung diseases on work disability
  • Biomarkers linked to adverse respiratory disease outcomes
  • Cognitive function and depression in lung disease

Faculty

Current Fellows

  • Sofya Tokman, MD Michael Guarnieri MD MPH

Former Fellows and Faculty

  • Ryan Kern, MD
  • Theodore A. Omachi, MD MBA
  • Moshe Zutler, MD
  • Hubert Chen MD MPH
  • Mark Eisner MD MPH