News and Accolades
Blood Vessel Damage Ties Respiratory Viruses to Cardiovascular Events
Led by William Bain, MD, and Jana Jacobs, PhD, researchers from the Divisions of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine and Infectious Diseases helped uncover how vascular injury may drive life-threatening complications in viral respiratory infections.
Patrick Strollo, Jr., MD, and Sanjay Patel, MD, MS, Coauthor Phase 3 Trial of First Once-Nightly Pill for Sleep Apnea
New research led by Strollo and Patel found that the investigational oral therapy AD109 significantly reduced breathing interruptions and improved oxygen levels in adults with obstructive sleep apnea who could not tolerate CPAP.
Three PACCSM Faculty Earn National Recognition with 2026 ATS Awards
Drs. Kambez Benam, Charles Dela Cruz, and Alicia Rizzo honored for leadership, innovation, and research excellence in pulmonary and critical care medicine
Stephanie Maximous, MD, MS, Receives 2026 Pitt Sustainability Faculty Award
Maximous was recognized for advancing climate health education and sustainable health care practices.
Mark Geraci, MD, Named President-Elect of the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine
In this role, Geraci will help guide national strategy and governance for academic internal medicine.
Sylk Sotto, EdD, MBS, MPS, Named 2026–27 ELAM Fellow
Sotto was one of four Pitt Health Sciences faculty recognized among national cohort preparing senior women faculty for executive leadership roles in academic medicine.
Department of Medicine Leads the Way in HHT Care Through UPMC Center of Excellence
Under the leadership of Dr. Quyen Nguyen, pulmonary specialists anchor a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosing and managing this complex vascular disease.
Recent Research Highlights from PACCSM
Recent studies from Drs. Benam, Chandra, Strollo, and Rivera-Lebron examine disease mechanisms, risk stratification, and long-term outcomes across pulmonary conditions.
When a physician becomes a patient
Dr. Ian Barbash reflects on the care he received during a recent ICU stay and the lasting impact it’s had on his approach to patients and colleagues in a recent UPMC First Friday feature.
New COPD Biologic Meets Endpoints in Landmark Phase III Trials
Led by Frank Sciurba, MD, the OBERON and TITANIA studies highlight the potential of targeting IL-33 to address a major unmet need in COPD care.
How the DOM is Advancing Research and Care for Allergies and Severe Asthma
As spring allergies surge in Western Pennsylvania, DOM physicians are helping patients manage symptoms while advancing research in severe, treatment-resistant asthma with more personalized and effective therapies.
A fast, portable antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning
Led by Jesus Tejero, PhD, at Pitt’s Vascular Medicine Institute, researchers have developed a fast, portable therapy that could change how carbon monoxide poisoning is treated in emergencies.
Scientists in the Division of PACCSM Discover New Cellular Driver of Pulmonary Fibrosis
In the Nature Communications study led by Melanie Königshoff, MD, PhD, lysyl oxidase was shown to fuel scarring with an existing drug serving as a new potential treatment.
VMI Researchers Develop Groundbreaking Antidote for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Research led by Jesus Tejero, PhD, has found that a novel protein therapy, RcoM-HBD-CCC, clears CO from the bloodstream faster than current treatments, with potential for use by first responders in the field.
New Study by Dr. Frank Sciurba et al. Shows Promising Results for COPD Treatment
A new study led by Dr. Frank Sciurba, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, reveals that mepolizumab can significantly reduce exacerbations in COPD patients with eosinophilic inflammation—affecting up to 40% of those with the disease.