The Pulmonary and Critical Care Division has a rich history and tradition of excellence in patient care, education and research. Our faculty members strive to provide the best possible care to patients with a variety of disorders, ranging from obstructive lung diseases in asthma and COPD, to pulmonary arterial hypertension, cystic fibrosis and the interstitial lung disease. We also provide the best possible care to the most critically ill patients in the medical intensive care unit. The lung transplant group has been increasing activity while maintaining some of the best outcomes in the nation. These activities allow the division to provide the best training environment for the next generation of physicians and scientists for discoveries in bench, translational and outcomes medicine.
The Division houses several clinical and research programs in Cystic Fibrosis recognized by the CF foundation, Sleep medicine, PAH in collaboration with cardiology, and COPD and ILD centers of excellence, drawing patients from far and wide. The ILD program houses expertise in genetics, genomics and clinical trials with participation in numerous industry and NIH sponsored trials. We also engage in cutting-edge bronchoscopic techniques for lung cancer screening and diagnosis. We are extending efforts with an Immune Checkpoint lung disease clinic, and increasing outreach in asthma and COPD.
The division continues to grow both in the ambulatory setting and in the critical care arena. The ambulatory practice operates in the primary care clinic, Fishersville, and Zion Crossroads. Beginning next academic year, in addition to our MICU, we will have a joint attending/nurse practitioner operated ICU at Culpeper as well. Last year we added several new faculty: Dr. Lindsey Somerville who graduated from our fellowship and whose clinical practice is now focused on CF, while advancing her lab investigations in Dr. Tom Braciale’s lab; Catherine Bonham, from the University of Chicago, whose clinical focus is in Sarcoidosis and ILD, while she continues her investigative efforts in immunobiology and ILD. While Dr. Timothy Scialla is expected to join the Division from Duke University as an Associate Professor, his clinical focus is asthma and COPD. Expansion continues with efforts to increase our presence in Sleep medicine and CF.
Currently, our division runs the MICU, a pulmonary consult service and consults at TCH. We also offer outpatient services at the Sleep lab/clinics and outpatient bronchoscopy and pulmonary specialty clinics.
Tessy Paul, MD
Lindsay Somerville, MD
PULMONARY AND CRITICAL CARE HIGHLIGHTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Dr Lindsay Somerville received the Program for Adult Care Excellence in CF medicine Award (PACE)
We are very proud of our extensive growth in ILD and the exceedingly successful “ILD Patient Education Day” which we held at the Holiday Inn on October 18th with Dr Neil Aggarawal from the NIH as the keynote speaker.
Dr Tessy Paul and Dr Adam Carlson initiated a new joint rheumatology/ILD clinic at Fontaine.
The APN eICU unit was initiated with great success at Culpeper. This is a first of its kind APN run unit leveraging telemedicine for input from our Critical Care Attendings.
We received Joint Commission 7th biennial Advanced COPD Program Certification.
BACK ROW, Lt to Rt: Dr. Imre Noth, Dr. Numaan Malik, Bobby Flood FRONT ROW, Lt to Rt: Dr. Tessy Paul, Cathy Brown, Dr. Hannah Mannem, Morgan Soper, Teresa Altherr, Dr. Cathy Bonham
Comprehensive Care and Research Flourishes for Patients with Pulmonary Fibrosis
The interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Program in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine continues to blossom, with 400 new patient referrals in the last year, and national recognition as a Center of Excellence by the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation and Foundation for Sarcoidosis. Five pulmonary clinics are currently dedicated to patients with different varieties of pulmonary fibrosis, including specialty clinics for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (led by Imre Noth MD), sarcoidosis (led by Cathy Bonham MD) and autoimmune and connective tissue disease associated ILD (led by Tessy Paul MD, Numaan Malik MD, and Hannah Mannem MD). Research programs include genetics and genomics of ILD, immune drivers of pulmonary fibrosis, and multiple clinical trials. Patient support groups meet bimonthly.
New Federal Grants
DOD/USAMRAA W81XWH-19-R0010
Jackson (PI), 03/01/2019 – 02/28/2024
University of Virginia anti-inflammatory compounds
Description: Contract with DOD to test novel classes of anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agents in murine model of pulmonary infection for efficacy and in vivo characterization.
Role: Shim Subaward PI
NIH/NHLBI 1R43HL142407
Gineste (MPI), 09/01/2018 – 08/31/2020
Drug discovery for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Description: Contract to develop a new class of anti-fibrotic small molecule therapeutics.
Role: Shim Sub-contract PI
Filed Under: Notable Achievements
Tags: december medicine matters, December medicine matters newsletter, Pulmonary