Department of Medicine
Faculty Profiles by Division

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine

Faculty Profiles
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photo Frank C. Sciurba, MD, FCCP

Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine

Professor of Medicine and Education

Director, Emphysema/COPD Research Center

Director, Pulmonary Function Exercise Physiology Laboratory

Email: sciurbafc@upmc.edu

Phone: 412-648-6494
Contact
Office: UPMC Montefiore Hospital, NW628
3459 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
 
Phone: 412-648-6494
Fax: 412-648-6495
E-mail: sciurbafc@upmc.edu
Administrative Assistant:
Gabrielle Amity
Email: amitygc@upmc.edu
Phone: 412-648-6494
Fax: 412-648-6495
Education and Training
Education
BS, University of Illinois, 1978
MD, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, 1982
Training
Intern, Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 1983
Resident, Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 1985
Fellowship, Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Pittsburgh, 1988
Research Interest
Dr. Sciurba's long term research interest includes volume reduction strategies in patients with advanced emphysema and the use of exercise testing as a diagnostic and outcome tool in lung disease.

Among his research interests and published work includes assessment of new concepts related to patterns of pulmonary and systemic inflammation associated with COPD, the impact of therapy on dynamic hyperinflation, the role of quantitative imaging in the assessment and reclassification of COPD, the design of the VENT endobronchial valve trial and role of valves in relieving native lung hyperinflation following lung transplantation, the retinoic acid FORTE trial, gender differences in COPD, assessment of methodology of pulmonary exercise testing and activity monitoring in COPD, and the important role of autoimmunity in the progression of COPD.
Clinical Interest
Dr. Sciurba's clinical focus is on advanced or difficult to manage patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) including emphysema. Dr. Sciurba, with colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh, have extensive experience in evaluating patients for lung volume reduction surgery. In addition, consideration for enrollment in bronchoscopic volume reduction or other novel, pharmacologic, or biologic clinical trials considered for patients whose options are limited. Dr. Sciurba's clinical and research philosophy revolves around the fact that all patients have a unique manifestation of the disease commonly known as COPD and thus may require a unique therapeutic regimen, specific to their own situation.
Publications
For my complete bibliography, Click Here.
Selected Publications:
Sciurba, FC, Criner, GJ, Strange, C, Shah, PL, Michaud, G, Connolly, Ta, Deslee, G, Tillis, WP, Delage, A, Marquette, CH, Krishna, G, Kalhan, R, Ferguson, JS, Jantz, M, Maldonado, F, Group RSR. Effect of endobronchial coils vs usual care on exercise tolerance in patients with severe emphysema: The Renew randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2016; 315(20): 2178-2189.
Sciurba, FC, Chandra, D, Bon, J. Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction in COPD: Lessons in implementing clinically based precision medicine. JAMA. 2016; 315(2): 139-141.
Sciurba, F, Rennard, SI. Rationale for a redundant formulary. The Hawthorne effect and the art of medicine. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2015; 191(11): 1224-1225.
Criner, GJ, Connett, JE, Aaron, SD, Albert, RK, Bailey, WC, Casaburi, R, Cooper, JAD Jr, Curtis, JL, Dransfield, MT, Han, MK, Make, B, Marchetti, N, Martinez, FJ, Niewoehner, DE, Scanlon, PD, Sciurba, FC, Scharf, SM, Sin, DD, et al, for the COPD Clinical Research Network and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Simvastatin for the prevention of exacerbations in moderate-to-severe COPD. N Engl J Med. 2014; 370: 2201-2210.
Bon, J, Liao, S, Tseng, G, Sciurba, FC. Considerations and pitfalls in phenotyping and reclassification of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Transl Res. 2013; 162(4): 252-57.
Chandra, D, Wise, RA, Kulkarni, HS, Benzo, RP, Criner, G, Make, B, Slivka, WA, Ries, AL, Reilly, JJ, Martinez, FJ, Sciurba, FC, for the NETT Research Group. Optimizing the six minute walk test as a measure of exercise capacity in COPD. Chest. 2012; 142(6): 1545-52.
Bon, J, Fuhrman, CR, Weissfeld, JL, Duncan, SR, Branch, RA, Chang, CCH, Zhang, Y, Leader, JK, Greenspan, SL, Sciurba, FC. Radiographic emphysema predicts low bone mineral density in a tobacco exposed cohort. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2011; 183(7): 885-90.
Sciurba, FC, Ernst, A, Hearth, FJF, Strange, C, Criner, GJ, Marquette, CH, Kovitz, KL, Chiacchierini, RP, Goldin, J, McLennan, G, for the VENT Study Research Group. A randomized study of endobronchial valves for advanced emphysema. N Engl J Med. 2010; 363(13): 1233-44.
Hogg, JC, Chu, F, Utokaparch, S, Woods, R, Elliott, WM, Buzatu, L, Cherniack, RM, Rogers, RM, Sciurba, FC, Coxson, HO, Pare, PD. The nature of small-airway obstruction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. N Eng J Med. 2004; 350(26): 2645-2653.
Sciurba, FC, Rogers, RM, Keenan, RJ, Slivka, WA, Gorscan, J, Ferson, PF, Holbert, JM, Brown, M, Landreneau, RJ. Improvement in pulmonary function and elastic recoil after lung reduction surgery for diffuse emphysema. N Engl J Med. 1996; 334(17): 1095-1099.
Sponsored Research/Activities
Title: Study of Humidified Air to Improve Mucociliary Clearance (MCC) in COPD
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: Fisher & Paykel Healtcare
Grant Number: RES
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2020
Title: FeNO Study
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: COPD Foundation
Start Year: 2018
End Year: 2020
Title: Systems Level Causal Discovery in Heterogeneous TOPMed Data
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
Grant Number: U01 HL137159
Start Year: 2017
End Year: 2020
Title: Network Management Core (NEMO) for the Pulmonary Trials Cooperative (PTC)
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
Grant Number: U01 HL128954
Start Year: 2015
End Year: 2020
Title: AVTIV-IV COORDINATING CENTER
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
Grant Number: OT2 HL156812
Start Year: 2020
End Year: 2021
Title: ACTUV-4 INFECTED OUTPATIENT STUDY
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
Grant Number: OT2 HL156812
Start Year: 2020
End Year: 2021
Title: Nitrite Therapy to Improve Mitochondrial Energetics and Physical Activity in Older Adults
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Aging
Grant Number: R01 AG058883
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2022
Title: A Phase II Trial of Metformin for Pulmonary Hypertension in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Aging
Grant Number: R01 AG058659
Start Year: 2018
End Year: 2023
Title: Lung Transplant Go (LTGO): Improving Self-Management of Exercise after Lung Transplantation
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Nursing Research
Grant Number: R01 NR017196
Start Year: 2018
End Year: 2022
Title: Autoimmunity and Emphysema and Risk of Osteoporosis in Smokers
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
Grant Number: R01 HL128289
Start Year: 2016
End Year: 2021
Title: Vascular Subphenotypes of Lung Disease (Project 1)
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
Grant Number: P01 HL103455
Start Year: 2016
End Year: 2021
Title: Beta-Blockers for the Prevention of Acute Exacerbations of COPD
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: University of Alabama at Birmingham/Department of Defense
Start Year: 2015
End Year: 2020
Title: Network Management Core (NEMO) for the Pulmonary Trials Cooperative (PTC)
Role: Core Leader
Funding Agency: National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute
Grant Number: U01 HL128954
Start Year: 2015
End Year: 2020
Title: RofLumilast or Azithromycin to preveNt COPD Exacerbations (RELIANCE) Phase 2
Role: Program Director
Funding Agency: University of Illinois/ Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2023
Notable Achievements
Best Doctors, 2006-2016

Division Websites

Cardiology

Endocrinology and Metabolism

Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

General Internal Medicine

Geriatric Medicine
Hematology/Oncology

Infectious Diseases

Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine

Renal-Electrolyte

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

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