We enjoy research and teaching in the highly diverse setting within the Department of Medicine at Boston University Avedisian & Chobanian School of Medicine and are proud to train and practice at Boston Medical Center caring for a diverse patient population. Our goal is for our trainees, staff, faculty, and Center to reflect that diversity. We believe that this is central to providing excellent patient care, making impactful research discoveries, and creating a dynamic and inclusive learning environment.
Jingzhou Zhang, M.D., M.P.H., senior pulmonary and critical care fellow, explored the role of genetic risk in identifying undiagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD, a highly prevalent condition and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, often remains undiagnosed. Traditional case-finding approaches that rely on conventional risk factors and respiratory symptoms have been shown […]
An exciting new collaboration between the pharmaceutical company GSK and pulmonary researchers in the CReM has been newly been established. This partnership will further advances against pulmonary fibrosis, with the hope of finding new treatments and cures. As a collaborating partner, GSK will provide support in the form of funding and access to patient specimens. […]
Dr. Jingzhou Zhang, a senior pulmonary fellow, investigated the role of BMI in COPD mortality through a multi-cohort genetic epidemiology study. While both low and extremely high BMI are associated with increased mortality in COPD, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Using a polygenic score for BMI, Dr. Zhang and colleagues found that genetically determined BMI […]
We are pleased to share that Dr. DJ Wallman was granted an Ignition Award, provided by BU Technology Development to better support upcoming science and technology. Personalized, precision gene editing therapy has the potential to revolutionize medicine and therapeutic development relies on access to disease models for pre-clinical studies. Limited access to an adequate number […]
A recent Nature Communications paper led by Dr. Giovanni Ligresti and in collaboration with Dr. Bob Varelas identifies new endothelial cell (EC) subtypes that emerge after lung injury. These “activated lung EC subtypes” were found to persist in aged mice compared to young mice following injury, and are observed in areas of extracellular matrix accumulation […]
Lauren Kearney, MD, fourth year pulmonary fellow, was in a recent podcast episode of The Other Page Radio on WBCA 102.9 FM, hosted by Haywood Fennell. Fennell founded The Tri-Ad Veterans’ League and is a community partner for Dr. Renda Wiener's VA funded research project VET PEER CONNECTS. They were joined by Steven Abrams, the […]
Assistant Professor Anica Law has led a team demonstrating that safety net hospitals have 30-day sepsis mortality rates that do not differ from 30-day sepsis mortality rates in other (non-safety net) hospitals. This may seem surprising, since safety net hospitals report higher in-hospital sepsis mortality compared to non-safety net hospitals, confirmed in this study. Patients […]
The Pulmonary Center is happy to announce Riley Pihl as the winner of the 2024 Kayla Bell Pulmonary Center Citizenship Award! Riley Pihl PhD Student The Kayla Bell Pulmonary Center Citizenship Award was established to celebrate and commemorate Kayla’s time at the Pulmonary Center, and to encourage others to follow in her footsteps. It is […]