Center Program Areas

Chronic Lung Disease

Chronic lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency are devastating problems associated with decreased quality of life, significant illness, and loss of life.

Under the Center’s umbrella, leaders in the field are coming together to make a difference in the lives of those affected by chronic lung disease. They conduct laboratory and clinical research which can be translated into multidisciplinary state-of-the-art clinical care.

For those patients with limited medical options, new advances in research and patient care are also being made by our experts within one of the world's largest and most experienced transplant centers.

Subspecialty Program Leaders:

• Cystic Fibrosis
  • Jordan Dunitz, MD
     
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
  • Dennis Niewoehner, MD
  • John Connett, PhD
     
• Interstitial Lung Disease
  
  • Hyun Kim, MD
  • David Perlman, MD
  • Craig Henke, MD
    
    
• Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Monica Colvin-Adams, MD
     
• Lung Transplant
  • Marshall Hertz, MD
    
  • Rosemary Kelly, MD
  • Sara Shumway, MD

Acute Respiratory Failure & Critical Care

Acute lung injury can ultimately lead to chronic conditions and/or to acute respiratory failure. Understanding the causes and cascade of events involved in acute lung injury is essential for developing preventative measures and treatments to reduce the long-term effects of lung injury.

CLSH and the Center for Excellence in Critical Care are working together to provide on-going education and training to ensure that trainees, investigators and other professionals are trained in or actively informed about new developments to improve care of patients with acute lung injury, respiratory failure and best practices in other aspects of critical care medicine.

Program Leaders:

• David Ingbar, MD
• Henry Mann, PharmD

Asthma & Allergy

Asthma and allergy are world-wide problems. The University has developed international collaborations to study the complexities of these conditions. Through nationally-funded research, our experts are identifying genes responsible for the development of asthma and the allergic response.

Clinical outcomes studies are also being conducted testing the efficacy of new drugs that hold tremendous promise for enhanced patient care.

Program Leader:

• Malcolm Blumenthal, MD

Sleep Medicine

Although poor sleep quality can be attributed to a variety of factors, several million people suffer from chronic sleep deprivation due to breathing difficulties. While considerable progress has recently been made in diagnostics of sleep-related breathing disorders, there is still much to learn about this complex field of study.

Rising evidence links sleep disorders with decreased health and wellness as well as increased disease severity and even death. Interdisciplinary interactions between experts will lead to a better understanding of sleep and its relationship to overall health.

Program Leader:

• Conrad Iber, MD

Lung Cancer

Great strides have been made in treatment of many forms of cancers. However today lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer–related death and is on the rise in the U.S. A focus on preventative measures along with new treatments and earlier diagnoses is needed to reduce lung cancer and increase survivorship.

The CLSH is working with the University of Minnesota Cancer Center to help intensify the research, education and outreach required to reduce the increasing toll of lung cancer.

Program Leaders:

• Robert Kratzke, MD
• Michael Maddaus, MD

Lung Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Lung disease is one of the top three killers in America. A key area of focus for the Center is the promotion of lung health and disease prevention. Genetics is often an important susceptibility factor in the development of lung disease, but scientific evidence clearly demonstrates that environment and lifestyle choices often play a significant part in remaining healthy or succumbing to disease. A key area of focus for the Center is to promote lung health and disease prevention by learning more about specific causes and teaching others how to help prevent and manage lung disease. Several patient-focused educational seminars are hosted by the Center each year to provide information and to encourage lifestyle changes that positively impact lung health. Further collaborations are planned to expand the Center’s reach throughout the region.

The Center has partnered with the University’s Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center and the Cancer Center to bring a clinical component to smoking cessation initiatives. In addition, partnerships with experts in occupational and environmental health from the School of Public Health as well as complementary medicine within the Center for Spirituality and Healing and other areas are working with the Center to increase individuals’ ability to remain healthy or to better manage disease.

Program Leaders:

• Occupational and Environmental Lung Exposures
  • Ian Greaves, MD
• Tobacco Cessation & Control
  • Dorothy Hatsukami, PhD
• Complementary Medicine & Lifestyles
  • Linda Chlan, RN, PhD