Milan, Italy

Stefano Aliberti is Full Professor of Respiratory Medicine, Vice-Rector for Social Responsibility, and Director of the Fellowship Program in Respiratory Diseases at Humanitas University. He is also Chief of the Respiratory Unit at IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital (Milan, Italy), where he leads the Bronchiectasis and Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria Programs. His major clinical and research interests are both acute and chronic respiratory infections.

He has extensive experience in epidemiological and clinical research in pneumonia since early-2000s when he was working for the Community-Acquired Pneumonia Organization. He has extensively published clinical and translational research papers on community-acquired pneumonia, especially in the field of clinical failure, cardiovascular events and antimicrobial resistance.

He received the Young Researcher Award in Respiratory Infections from the European Respiratory Society for his contribution on community-acquired pneumonia. Over the past 20 years he has been heavily involved in acute and chronic respiratory infections, including bronchiectasis and non-tuberculous mycobacteria. He co-chairs the European Bronchiectasis Registry (EMBARC) and chairs both the Italian Bronchiectasis Registry and the Italian Registry of Pulmonary Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria.

Prof. Aliberti published more than 470 peer-reviewed articles especially on respiratory infections over the past 20 years and he was part of different international task forces to produce guidelines on bronchiectasis, COVID-19 and severe pneumonia, as well as statements on tuberculosis. Prof. Aliberti has been heavily involved in different international societies over the past decade, including the European Respiratory Society, the American College of Chest Physicians, and the European Cystic Fibrosis Society, in different educational and scientific committees.

Padova, Italy

Umberto Semenzato, MD, is a pulmonologist at the University Hospital of Padua, Italy. His clinical and research interests focus on COPD, asthma, bronchiectasis and eosinophilic lung diseases.

He graduated in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Padua in 2016 and completed his specialist training in Respiratory Medicine at the same university in 2022. He subsequently obtained a postgraduate Master’s degree in Bronchoscopy and Interventional Pulmonology from the University of Florence. He is currently a PhD candidate in Translational Specialistic Medicine at the University of Padua.

In his clinical practice, Dr Semenzato is responsible for specialist outpatient care for patients with asthma, COPD and bronchiectasis, as well as a multidisciplinary clinic for nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease. He also participates in multidisciplinary teams dedicated to type 2 inflammatory diseases and the transition from paediatric to adult respiratory care.

His research explores inflammatory mechanisms and biomarkers in chronic airway diseases, with particular interest in eosinophilic inflammation in COPD and asthma, disease phenotyping and personalised treatment. His work also addresses clinical outcomes and risk stratification in bronchiectasis. In 2023, he received the European Respiratory Society’s Zambon Award for research in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency: The Critical Value of Early Diagnosis Diagnosis

Session Type: COPD

Date: Thursday, 5 November 2026

Time: 18:30 – 19:00

Location: Hall 3

Speaker: Riyad Al-Lehebi (KSA)

New Pathway for PAH Management

Session Type: Pulmonary Hypertension

Date: Saturday, 7 November 2026

Time: 11:30 – 12:00

Location: Hall 1

Speaker: Khaled Alobaidellah (KSA)

Would You Publish This? Inside the Editor’s Mind

Session Type: Interactive Workshop

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 10:30 – 11:00

Location: Hall 2

Objectives

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

•   Understand how editors assess manuscripts for publication
•   Identify common reasons for revision or rejection
•   Apply practical tips to improve manuscript submission

Speakers: Mohamed Al-Hajjaj (UAE) | Salman Guraya (UAE)

Workshop

Optimizing Aerosol Delivery in Exacerbated patients from ED to ICU

Session Type: Workshop

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 12:25 – 13:20

Location: Hall 3

Speaker: Hussam Sakkijha (KSA)

Objectives

•   Optimize aerosol therapy for exacerbated patients across the ED-to-ICU pathway
•   Apply evidence-based strategies to improve drug delivery and clinical outcomes

Who Should Attend

•   Respiratory Therapists, Critical Care & Emergency Physicians, Pulmonologists,
•   Anesthesiologists, ICU & Emergency Nurses and Pharmacists involved in respiratory care

Workshop

Optimizing Aerosol Delivery Across the Respiratory Spectrum

Session Type: Workshop

Date: Thursday, 5 November 2026

Time: 16:15 – 18:30

Location: Hall 3

Objectives

•   Optimize aerosol delivery across different respiratory support modalities
•   Understand the role of vibrating mesh technology and clinical evidence
•   Apply evidence-based aerosol strategies from ED to ICU

Who Should Attend

•   Respiratory Therapists, Critical Care & Emergency Physicians, Pulmonologists,
•   Anesthesiologists, ICU & Emergency Nurses and Pharmacists involved in respiratory care

Program

Workshop

Navigating the Lung: Bronchoscopic Navigation & Case Review

Session Type: Workshop

Date: Saturday, 7 November 2026

Time: 11:30 – 12:30

Location: Hall 3

Speaker: Haifeng Ouyang (China)

Objectives

•   Understand bronchoscopic navigation techniques
•   Apply navigation strategies through clinical case review

Workshop

Navigate, Target & Treat: The Future of Precision Bronchoscopy

Session Type: Workshop

Date: Thursday, 5 November 2026

Time: 16:15 – 18:30

Location: Hall 2

Speaker: Haifeng Ouyang (China)

Objectives

•   Understand Bronchus technology and its role in advanced bronchoscopy
•   Explore bronchoscopic navigation and Brochablate systems
•   Gain hands-on experience with Archimedes navigation and RFA nodule ablation

Program

Xi’an, China

Dr. Ouyang is an experienced Interventional Pulmonologist, Vice President, and Chief Physician at The International Medical Center/Chest Hospital in Xi’an, China, where he also serves as a postgraduate supervisor.

He specializes in advanced bronchoscopic procedures, including BUS-TBNA for mediastinal lymph node staging, EBUS-GS, and LungPro navigation bronchoscopy. Dr. Ouyang performed China’s first thermal steam lung volume reduction procedure and, in 2024, conducted the country’s first robotic-assisted bronchoscopy (RAB) procedure for quantitative microwave ablation of lung nodules.

He has received numerous awards and distinctions and has served as a principal or sub-investigator in multiple international multicenter clinical trials involving Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim, GSK, Novartis, and Mundipharma.

His research interests include asthma and airway inflammation, lung cancer, bronchoscopic interventions, navigation bronchoscopy, and innovative minimally invasive therapies for pulmonary diseases.

Oral Abstract Presentation III

Thoracic Surgery: Minimally Invasive Approaches and Management of Complex Thoracic Disease

Session Type: Oral Abstract Presentation

Date: Saturday, 7 November 2026

Time: 10:30 – 11:30

Location: Hall 3

Moderators: Waseem Hajjar (KSA) | Maher Bazarbashi (KSA)

Program

Oral Abstract Presentation II

Challenging Clinical Cases

Session Type: Oral Abstract Presentation

Date: Saturday, 7 November 2026

Time: 08:00 – 10:00

Location: Hall 3

Moderators:

08:00–09:00 Fahad Alharbi (KSA) | Arwa Almutairi (KSA)

09:00–10:00 Yahya Abusabaah (KSA) | Yasmin Alkhunaizi (KSA)

Program

Ask the Expert

Pulmonary Manifestations of ANCA-Associated Vasculitis

Session Type: Pulmonary Vasculitis

Date: Saturday, 7 November 2026

Time: 11:30 – 12:30

Location: Hall 2

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Recognize common and high-risk pulmonary manifestations of ANCA-associated vasculitis
•   Apply evidence-based diagnostic and management strategies
•   Approach complex clinical scenarios using expert insight

Moderator: Khalid Alokla (KSA)

Speaker: Michael Wechsler (USA)

Ask the Expert

Lung Cancer Screening: Why Are Pulmonologists Still on the Sidelines?

Session Type: Pulmonary Oncology

Date: Saturday, 7 November 2026

Time: 10:30 – 11:30

Location: Hall 2

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Recognize barriers and challenges in lung cancer screening
•   Discuss strategies to improve screening implementation
•   Understand the role of pulmonologists in leading lung cancer screening programs

Moderator: Abdulaziz AlMogbil (KSA)

Speaker: M. Patricia Rivera (USA)

When Slowing Progression isn’t enough

Session Type: Interstitial Lung Disease

Date: Saturday, 7 November 2026

Time: 09:30 – 10:00

Location: Hall 2

Moderator: Fahad Alobaid (KSA)

Speaker: Paolo Spagnolo (Italy)

Cystic Fibrosis and Bronchiectasis: Current Challenges and Recent Advances

Session Type: Bronchiectasis & Cystic Fibrosis

Date: Saturday, 7 November 2026

Time: 08:30 – 09:30

Location: Hall 2

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Identify key multidisciplinary challenges in adult cystic fibrosis care
•   Tailor bronchiectasis management to individual patient profiles and treatable traits

Moderators: Abdullah Alshimemeri (KSA) | Mansour Al-Qwaiee (KSA)

Program

Pulmonary Infection

Session Type: Pulmonary Infection

Date: Saturday, 7 November 2026

Time: 11:30 – 12:00

Location: Hall 1

Moderator: TBA

Speaker: TBA

COPD: Exacerbation Phenotypes and Personalized Care

Session Type: COPD

Date: Saturday, 7 November 2026

Time: 10:30 – 11:30

Location: Hall 1

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Identify COPD exacerbation phenotypes: eosinophilic, infectious, and mixed
•   Apply personalized management strategies for COPD
•   Use current evidence to guide clinical decisions

Moderators: Nawaf Alotaib (KSA) | Majid Al Qatari (KSA)

Program

Asthma: Guidelines Updates and Steroid Resistance

Asthma: Guidelines Updates and Steroid Resistance

Session Type: Asthma

Date: Saturday, 7 November 2026

Time: 08:30 – 10:00

Location: Hall 1

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Recognize key updates from the STS 2026 asthma guidelines (SINA)
•   Understand emerging T1 immune responses linked to subclinical viral infection in asthma
•   Recognize how T1-driven pathways affect steroid response and asthma control

Moderators: Hatem Qutub (KSA) | Hussein Al Juwayed (KSA)

Program

RTs Empowerment Hub: Pulmonary Function Testing Masterclass

Session Type: Education

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 15:30 – 18:30

Location: Hall 3

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Perform and interpret pulmonary function tests with greater confidence and accuracy
•   Identify common testing errors and apply practical troubleshooting steps
•   Understand when and how to use advanced tests, including bronchial challenge testing

Program

Nurses & RTs Empowerment Hub: Pulmonary Hypertension – Drugs and Best Practices

Session Type: Education

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 14:00 – 15:00

Location: Hall 3

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Review pulmonary hypertension therapies across all routes of administration
•   Identify proper administration, monitoring and side effects for patient safety
•   Highlight the roles of nurses and respiratory therapists in patient care and emergencies

Moderators: Noura Alturaif (KSA) | Nawal AlGubaisi (KSA)

Program

Nurses & RTs Empowerment Hub: Mastering Inhaler Technique

Session Type: Education

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 10:30 – 11:30

Location: Hall 3

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Demonstrate correct use of common inhaler devices (MDIs, DPIs, soft mist inhalers)
•   Identify common errors in inhaler technique and their impact on treatment efficacy
•   Educate patients effectively to ensure proper inhaler use and adherence

Moderator: Hussain Al Matar (KSA)

Speaker: Amr Alwakeel (KSA)

Program

Oral Abstract Presentation I

Pulmonary Research

Session Type: Oral Abstract Presentation

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 08:30 – 09:30

Location: Hall 3

Moderators: Sami Alrasheedi (KSA) | Saud Almousa (KSA)

Program

Advances in pharmacological treatment for fibrotic ILD

Session Type: Interstitial Lung Disease

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 17:45 – 18:15

Location: Hall 2

Speaker: Paolo Spagnolo (Italy)

Ask the Expert

Targeting Inflammation in Non–Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis

Session Type: Bronchiectasis

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 16:30 – 17:30

Location: Hall 2

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Explain inflammatory mechanisms in bronchiectasis
•   Review emerging therapies including brensocatib and CFTR modulators
•   Apply targeted anti-inflammatory strategies in clinical care

Moderator: Mohamed Zeitouni (KSA)

Speaker: Anne O’Donnell (USA)

Ask the Expert

Building & Leading High-Performing Teams

Session Type: Leadership

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 15:30 – 16:25

Location: Hall 2

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Identify the core elements of high-functioning teams
•   Discuss effective leadership and communication strategies
•   Explore approaches to enhance collaboration, engagement and productivity

Moderator: Maher Bazarbashi (KSA)

Speaker: Raed Dweik (USA)

Debate: Early vs Stepwise Biologic Strategy in Asthma

Session Type: Asthma

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 14:00 – 15:00

Location: Hall 2

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Evaluate early biologics versus stepwise therapy in severe asthma
•   Discuss benefits, risks and clinical considerations
•   Apply personalized treatment decision-making

Moderators: Mohamed Al-Hajjaj (UAE) | Sami Alharbi (KSA)

Program

COPD

COPD with Type 2 Inflammation: Why Early Identification Matters

Session Type: COPD

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 11:00 – 11:30

Location: Hall 2

Speaker: Yahya Habis (KSA)

Ask the Expert

Pulmonary Complications Associated with Cancer Therapy

Session Type: Pulmonary Toxicity

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 17:45 – 18:15

Location: Hall 1

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Identify common pulmonary complications related to cancer therapies
•   Apply strategies for diagnosis, prevention, and management of therapy-induced lung toxicity

Moderator: Hani Lababidi (KSA)

Speaker: M. Patricia Rivera (USA)

RSV and Childhood Asthma: From Epidemiology to Prevention

Session Type: Pulmonary Infection

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 08:30 – 09:30

Location: Hall 2

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Review current epidemiological data on RSV in Saudi Arabia and the GCC region
•   Examine the association between early RSV infection and childhood asthma
•   Evaluate whether RSV prevention could reduce childhood asthma risk

Moderators: Nasser Alharbi (KSA) | Khalid Al-Mobaireek (KSA)

Program

Airways Disorders

STS Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Management of Pleural Effusion

Session Type: Pleural Disease

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 16:40 – 17:30

Location: Hall 1

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Recognize key STS guideline recommendations for pleural effusion
•   Apply a stepwise approach to undiagnosed unilateral pleural effusion
•   Implement evidence-based strategies for tuberculous pleural effusion

Moderators: Abdulaziz AlMogbil (KSA) | Mohammed Alhajji (KSA)

Program

CAP Updates, Stubborn Pneumonia, and NTM Pulmonary Disease

Session Type: Pulmonary Infection

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 15:30 – 16:30

Location: Hall 1

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Review key CAP guideline updates and apply stewardship-based short-course therapy
•   Identify causes of antibiotic treatment failure and determine next management steps
•   Highlight the risks, challenges and prognosis of NTM pulmonary disease

Moderators: Tariq Almusawi (KSA) | Muhannad Hawari (KSA)

Program

Early Detection and Treatment of Pulmonary Fibrosis

Session Type: Interstitial Lung Disease

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 14:00 – 15:00

Location: Hall 1

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Identify interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) and candidates for screening
•   Determine when to monitor versus intervene based on risk of progression
•   Review emerging antifibrotic therapies and their clinical role

Moderators: Esam Alhamad (KSA) | Fahad Alobaid (KSA)

Program

New Evidence and Clinical Challenges in Interstitial Lung Disease

Luncheon Symposium

Session Type: Symposium

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 12:25 – 14:00

Location: Hall 1

Program

Debate: Pulmonary Rehabilitation Hospital-Based Care vs Virtual Reality Models

Session Type: Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 10:30 – 11:15

Location: Hall 1

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Compare hospital-based and virtual reality/remote pulmonary rehabilitation approaches
•   Identify the impact of each approach on patient outcomes, safety and access to care
•   Apply interactive discussion and live polling to clinical decision-making

Moderators: Waleed AlSowayan (KSA) | Arwa Ghasib (KSA)

Program

Precision Diagnosis and Personalized Therapy in COPD

Session Type: COPD

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 09:00 – 10:00

Location: Hall 1

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Identify emerging COPD diagnostic approaches and their clinical impact
•   Recognize patient characteristics that support personalized treatment in COPD
•   Apply precision-based therapy for COPD phenotypes

Moderators: Mohammed Al Ghobain (KSA) | Hussain Al Dhamen (KSA)

Program

Severe Asthma Management: Data and Experience

Session Type: Asthma

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 08:30 – 09:00

Location: Hall 1

Speaker: Amr Alwakeel (KSA)

Pleural Decisions

Recurrent Pleural Effusions: Choosing Between Indwelling Catheters and Pleurodesis

Session Type: Pleural Disease

Date: Thursday, 5 November 2026

Time: 19:30 – 20:00

Location: Hall 2

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Compare indwelling catheters and pleurodesis for recurrent pleural effusions
•   Apply patient-centered decision-making
•   Identify and manage potential complications

Moderator: Hatoon Abaas (KSA)

Speaker: Colin Gillespie (USA)

Welcome Remarks & STS Awards Presentation

Session Type: STS Awards

Date: Thursday, 5 November 2026

Time: 20:15 – 20:45

Location: Hall 1

Description

Welcome remarks followed by the Saudi Thoracic Society awards presentation recognizing outstanding contributions in the field

Ask the Expert

IPF & PPF: From Early Detection to Advanced Care

Session Type: Interstitial Lung Disease

Date: Thursday, 5 November 2026

Time: 18:30 – 19:30

Location: Hall 1

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Recognize the early signs and risk factors of IPF and PPF
•   Identify and apply appropriate diagnostic strategies for IPF and PPF
•   Describe the mechanisms of action of current and emerging antifibrotic therapies
•   Apply practical strategies to optimize patient care and improve clinical outcomes

Moderator: Rayyan ALMusally (KSA)

Speaker: Luca Richeldi (Italy)

Ask the Expert

Advanced Pulmonary Sarcoidosis

Session Type: Interstitial Lung Disease

Date: Thursday, 5 November 2026

Time: 17:30 – 18:30

Location: Hall 1

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Identify features and mechanisms of advanced pulmonary sarcoidosis
•   Identify appropriate management strategies and therapies
•   Apply advanced therapies including immunosuppression, antifibrotics and transplantation

Moderator: Abdullah Al-Mobeireek (KSA)

Speaker: Paolo Spagnolo (Italy)

Ask the Expert

Advances in COPD Management

Session Type: COPD

Date: Thursday, 5 November 2026

Time: 16:15 – 17:15

Location: Hall 1

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Describe the latest advances in COPD management
•   Apply expert insights to enhance clinical decision-making
•   Implement strategies to optimize patient care

Moderator: Fayez AlMutairi (KSA)

Speaker: Sanjay Sethi (USA)

Ask the Expert

Biologics in Severe Asthma

Session Type: Asthma

Date: Thursday, 5 November 2026

Time: 15:15 – 16:15

Location: Hall 1

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Identify appropriate patients for biologic therapy in severe asthma
•   Understand treatment strategies and monitoring requirements for biologics
•   Use real-world cases to optimize patient outcomes

Moderator: Abdallah Bin Maither (KSA)

Speaker: Nicola Hanania (USA)

Ask the Expert

Postinfectious Pulmonary Complications

Session Type: Pulmonary Infection

Date: Thursday, 5 November 2026

Time: 15:15 – 16:15

Location: Hall 2

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Recognize the spectrum and features of postinfectious pulmonary complications
•   Identify key diagnostic challenges and appropriate management strategies
•   Apply evidence-based strategies to prevent and manage complications

Moderator: Abdulsalam Alaithan (KSA)

Speaker: Barbara Jones (USA)

Ask the Expert

Community-Acquired Pneumonia A to Z: Updates

Session Type: Pulmonary Infection

Date: Thursday, 5 November 2026

Time: 13:45 – 14:45

Location: Hall 1

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

•   Review the latest evidence on the diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia
•   Apply current management strategies to improve patient care
•   Engage in case-based discussions to apply evidence in practice

Moderator: Sami Alyami (KSA)

Speaker: Marcos Restrepo (USA)

Washington, DC, USA

Anne E. O’Donnell MD is Professor of Medicine, Interim Chair of the Department of Medicine and Chief, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care Medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center and Medstar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington DC.  Dr. O’Donnell is also the Nehemiah and Naomi Cohen Chair in Pulmonary Disease Research at Georgetown.

At Georgetown University School of Medicine, she serves as the Interim Senior Associate Dean for Medical School Admissions.  She is a graduate of Georgetown University School of Medicine and Georgetown University Hospital Internal Medicine residency and pulmonary disease fellowship.  After completing her training, she served in the United States Air Force Medical Corps at RL Strategic Hospital/Carswell Air Force Base, Fort Worth TX. She joined the Georgetown faculty in 1991 at the completion of her military service.

Dr. O’Donnell is board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, Critical Care Medicine and Sleep Medicine.  She is an internationally recognized clinician and clinical researcher in bronchiectasis and related infections and has a long track record of publications and leadership of clinical trials.

She is the PI for the Georgetown Bronchiectasis and NTM Clinical Care Network site which provides specialty care to patients with those conditions. Dr. O’Donnell has been a member of NHLBI/NIH study sections and has served on various professional society committees for CHEST and the American Thoracic Society. She is currently a member of the executive committee of the US Bronchiectasis and NTM Association.

Denver, CO, USA

Michael E. Wechsler is Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at NJH in Denver, Director of the National Jewish Health (NJH)/Cohen Family Asthma Institute and Associate Vice President for Innovation and Industry Relations at NJH.

In addition to clinical work in pulmonary & critical care medicine, Professor Wechsler’s clinical and translational research focuses on clinical trials in asthma and COPD, novel asthma/COPD therapies, bronchial thermoplasty, and management of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (i.e. Churg-Strauss Syndrome, CSS).

He has led studies focusing on novel biologic agents for airways diseases, including benralizumab, dupilumab, mepolizumab, reslizumab, tezepelumab, itepekimab and depemokimab. He has published more than 385 publications relating to asthma, COPD, EGPA and eosinophilic lung diseases, and has been an investigator in over 60 clinical trials. He was a member of the Steering Committee and site Principal Investigator of the NIH-sponsored Asthma Clinical Research Network (ACRN/AsthmaNet), a multicenter asthma clinical trials consortium, as well as the PI of the Denver site of the Precision Intervention in Severe/Exacerbating Asthma (PRECISE) network.

A member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians, he has participated in many different task forces related to the study of asthma and eosinophilic lung diseases that were sponsored by the NIH, the FDA, the European Respiratory Society and the International Eosinophil Society. He is currently Associate Editor of the journal Chest and has served as Associate Editor of the journal Allergy and on the editorial board of the European Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Dr. Wechsler received AB and MMSc degrees from Harvard University in Boston and an MD degree from McGill University in Montreal. He completed medical training at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, and as part of the Harvard Combined Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Training Program.

Cleveland, OH, USA

Dr. Colin T. Gillespie is a formally trained interventional pulmonologist and nationally recognized educator in bronchoscopy and advanced pulmonary procedures. He currently serves as Enterprise Section Head of Bronchoscopy and Interventional Pulmonology at Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Dr. Gillespie received his M.D. from the Chicago Medical School. He completed his internship, residency in internal medicine, fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine, and fellowship in interventional pulmonology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

After completing his training, Dr. Gillespie joined the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, where he directed the Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship Program. He later moved to Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where he established and led the interventional pulmonary program and its interventional pulmonary fellowship training program.

Throughout his career, Dr. Gillespie has participated in multiple clinical trials sponsored by both industry and the NIH. His academic and clinical work has included studies of novel therapeutics, bronchoscopic interventions, procedural treatments for COPD, malignant pleural disease, and airway disorders. He has also contributed extensively to procedural education, fellowship training, and national courses in interventional pulmonology. A well-recognized educator, Dr. Gillespie, has received numerous honors for teaching excellence, including multiple Distinguished CHEST Educator awards.

Houston, TX, USA

Nicola (Nick) A. Hanania, MD, MS, is the Brown Foundation Professor of Medicine in the Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and director of the Airways Clinical Research Center at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He also serves on the Faculty Senate at Baylor College of Medicine. He is the Chief of Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Ben Taub Hospital. He completed his medical training at the University of Jordan in Amman, Jordan, followed by a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in pulmonary medicine at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. He subsequently completed a fellowship in critical care medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, where he later earned a master’s degree in clinical investigation.

Dr. Hanania has received multiple awards, including the ACCP’s Distinguished Scholar in Respiratory Health, Baylor College of Medicine Master Clinician Award, ACCP distinguished CHEST educator (DCE), ACCP Humanitarian Award, Career Investigator Award (K23) from the National Institutes of Health, Fulbright and Jaworski’s Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching and Evaluation, and the Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. He is editor-in-chief of Respiratory Medicine and is associate editor of the journal Lung. He serves on the editorial board of Chest, and COPD (J of COPD Foundation).

Dr. Hanania’s research interests focus on the pharmacology and management of asthma and COPD. He has published more than 320 peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, editorials, and reviews on these topics. His research has been funded by NIH, ALA and industry and focuses on clinical trials investigating novel treatments. He is principal investigator for the American Lung Association Airways Clinical Research Center and COPD Gene study at Baylor College of Medicine, as well as principal investigator or co-investigator in several clinical trials in asthma and COPD. Dr Hanania has been invited and has lectured widely at local, regional, national, and international meetings.

Rome, Italy

Luca Richeldi is Chair of the Division of Pulmonary Medicine and CEMAR (Respiratory Disease Center) at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS in Rome. He is currently Professor of Respiratory Medicine at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome (from 1st March 2017).

He is a member and the secretary of the “Infections and Tuberculosis” group of the Cochrane Collaboration. He serves as Associate Editor for the European Respiratory Journal and he is a Member of the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

He is also a Member of the Clinical Problems Assembly program committee of the American Thoracic Society. He has been part of the panels in charge of the production of the international guidelines on diagnosis and management of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and on consensus classification of the idiopathic interstitial pneumonia: these documents have been endorsed by the major international respiratory scientific societies, including the American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society.

Luca Richeldi has published more than 456 articles, reviews, editorials, and he has contributed several chapters in scientific books.

New York, NY, USA

Sanjay Sethi, MD, is a SUNY Distinguished Professor of Medicine at the University of Buffalo (UB), SUNY, where he is Senior Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Research, Chief of the Pulmonary/Critical Care/Sleep Medicine Division, Director of the UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and Director of the UB Clinical Research Office. Dr Sethi completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, his fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University at Buffalo and is board certified in pulmonary disease.

Dr Sethi’s main research interests include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and respiratory infections, focused on the specific areas of exacerbations, new therapeutics and innate lung defense in COPD. He was recently named one of the top 5 COPD Specialists in the USA by Expertscape. Dr Sethi has co-authored more than 250 research articles, reviews and book chapters in many peer-reviewed medical journals including New England Journal of Medicine, Science Translational Medicine, PNAS, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Annals of the American Thoracic Society, Chest, European Respiratory Journal, Journal of COPD, Infection and Immunity, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Journal of Infectious Diseases, Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and Thorax. His work has been widely cited and he has a current Google scholar h-index of 80. He has been or is a member of the editorial board for several publications including American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Annals of the American Thoracic Society, PLosOne and Respiratory Research.

Dr Sethi’s current and past research funding includes grants from the NIH, DOD, VA and several pharmaceutical companies. He was a member of the lung cellular, molecular, and immunobiology study section of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Pulmonary study section of the VA and is an ad hoc reviewer for several North American and International research funding agencies. In his current role as Director of the UB CTSI and Clinical Research Office, he has been leading efforts to develop and implement infrastructure and process improvements to enhance clinical and translational research at UB and affiliated institutions.

Dr. Sethi is currently active in several professional organizations including the American Thoracic Society where he has chaired the Clinical Problems program committee and the Clinical Problems Assembly. He has served as a consultant on the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines for COPD and was a member of the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense COPD Guideline Development Committee. He was chair and director of the Buffalo Institute of Medical Research. Additionally, he is a distinguished speaker presenting papers both nationally and internationally, many with COPD and Respiratory Infections as the primary focus.

Padua, Italy

Paolo Spagnolo is a full Professor of Respiratory Medicine and Director of the Residency Program in Respiratory Medicine at the University of Padua (Italy).

He received his undergraduate training and his MD, and completed his residency in Respiratory Medicine at the University Hospital of Bari (Italy). In 2002, Dr Spagnolo joined the Interstitial Lung Disease Unit of the Royal Brompton Hospital (London), initially as clinical research fellow under the supervision of Professor Ron du Bois and subsequently as Honorary Consultant. In 2008, he completed his PhD at the Imperial College of London under the supervision of Professor Ron du Bois and Professor Ken Welsh, with a thesis on “Genetic predisposition to clinical phenotypes of sarcoidosis”. Between 2008 and 2013, he was research fellow and subsequently Assistant Professor in Respiratory Medicine at the University Hospital of Modena where he joined the Centre for Rare Lung Diseases lead by Professor Luca Richeldi. Since 2015, Dr Spagnolo is a Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health of the University Hospital of Padua (Italy).

His main research interests include interstitial lung disease and sarcoidosis with emphasis on genetic predisposition, prediction of disease behaviour and clinical trials of novel therapies. Dr Spagnolo is the author or co-author of more than 200 journal articles, review articles and editorials. He is the chair of the Study Group on Sarcoidosis of the European Respiratory Society and the treasurer of the World Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous diseases (WASOG).

Salt Lake City, UT, USA

Barbara E. Jones, MD, MSCI, is an Associate Professor of Medicine, pulmonary and critical care physician, and health services researcher at the University of Utah and the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System.

Her research focuses on improving pneumonia diagnosis and treatment through the application of informatics methods including an population-level analytics using electronic health record data, qualitative inquiry, and clinical decision support.

Dr. Jones leads a portfolio of studies examining antibiotic prescribing variation, diagnostic discordance, and care outcomes for patients with community-acquired and hospital-acquired pneumonia across VA medical centers nationwide. Her current work includes developing dynamic treatment regime methods to optimize antibiotic selection, characterizing facility-level variation in pneumonia care, and applying natural language processing to improve case ascertainment. A national leader in pneumonia clinical practice guidelines, Dr. Jones served as Chair and Lead Author of the 2025 ATS Clinical Practice Guideline Update in Community-Acquired Pneumonia, leading a multidisciplinary expert panel to synthesize emerging evidence including lessons from the pandemic into updated diagnostic and treatment recommendations.

She was also Lead Author of the 2019 ATS/IDSA Summary for Clinicians in Community-Acquired Pneumonia and serves as ATS co-chair of the ongoing ATS/IDSA/ALAT/CTS HAP/VAP Clinical Practice Guideline Update (2025–2026). She is Guest Editor of the 2026 Clinics in Chest Medicine pneumonia issue. Dr. Jones holds a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation from the University of Utah and is board-certified in pulmonary and critical care medicine.

Leicester, UK

Neil Greening is a Professor at the University of Leicester and an Honorary Consultant Respiratory Physician at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester. His research primarily focuses on COPD and exacerbations, particularly focused around severe events and the systemic impact of hospitalization on patients’ physical function and muscle wasting.

He was appointed to his current role at the University of Leicester in November 2017 after being awarded a prestigious fellowship from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). He had previous undertaken his clinical and research training initially in Newcastle, UK, before completing his PhD and specialist training in Leicester.

Prof. Greening has led on a number of biologic clinical trials in COPD, including the investigator-led COPD-HELP and COPD-ST2OP trials, as well as the ALIENTO and ARNASA trials. Glenfield Hospital has recruited more than 400 patients to biologic trials in COPD, providing one of the largest single center experiences. Prof. Greening has also developed strategies to characterize severity of exacerbations of COPD- the “BAt score”, a European collaboration. He has published more than 120 papers over the past 15 years

He is the chair of the British Thoracic Society COPD Specialist Advisory Group and chair of the American Thoracic Society Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme Committee. He also sits on the BTS Biologic Clinical Statement Group, ATS Clinical Problems Program Committee, is also part of two ERS taskforces and the ERS CICERO Clinical Research Collaboration.

San Antonio, TX, USA

Dr. Marcos I. Restrepo, MD, MSc, PhD, FCCP, is a Professor at the Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, at the University of Texas Health San Antonio (UTHSA). He is an investigator and staff physician at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Audie L Murphy Division. He is Medical Director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Audie L Murphy Division and the Associate Program Director of the Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine fellowship program at UTHSA.

Dr. Restrepo completed training and board certifications in internal medicine, infectious disease, pulmonary disease, and critical care medicine. He obtained a Master in Science in Clinical Investigation from UTHSA and a PhD in Medicine from the Universidad de Valencia, Spain.

He has published more than 260 peer review manuscripts and presented at national and international scientific meetings. He is a member of both pneumonia (community acquired and hospital acquired) guidelines sponsored by the American Thoracic Society of America (ATS)/ and Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). He serves as associate editor for European Respiratory Journal (ERJ) and Respirology.

Cleveland, OH, USA

Dr. Raed A. Dweik, MD, MBA, is a distinguished physician, scientist, and healthcare leader. He currently serves as the Chief of Cleveland Clinic’s Integrated Hospital Care Institute (IHI), overseeing more than 4,000 caregivers and over 1,200 physicians and scientists across multiple locations, including Ohio, Florida, London, and Abu Dhabi.

In his role, Dr. Dweik is responsible for setting the strategic direction and managing the day-to-day operations of the Institute, which encompasses departments such as Emergency Services, Hospital Medicine, Pulmonary-Critical Care, Infectious Disease, and Anesthesiology.

Dr. Dweik’s clinical interests include pulmonary hypertension, asthma, chronic beryllium disease, and critical care medicine. He is board-certified in internal medicine, pulmonary disease, and critical care medicine. He regularly attends in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) and has been listed in “The Best Doctors in America” since 2005.

Academically, Dr. Dweik is a Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and holds a joint appointment in the Lerner Research Institute. He established a Research Center of Excellence in Pulmonary Vascular Disease and maintains a research laboratory funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He has published over 300 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters and serves on several journal editorial boards.

Dr. Dweik earned his medical degree from the University of Jordan Faculty of Medicine. He completed his internal medicine residency at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, followed by a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Cleveland Clinic. He also obtained an MBA from Case Western Reserve University in 2017.

In addition to his roles at Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Dweik has been elected as the Secretary of the American Thoracic Society (ATS) for the 2023–2024 term and is slated to serve as ATS President in 2025.

Rochester, NY, USA

Dr. Rivera is a Professor of Medicine and Oncology and the C. Jane Davis & C. Robert Davis Distinguished Professor in Pulmonary Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She serves as Chief of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and as an Associate Director of the Wilmot Cancer Institute in Rochester, New York. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Her clinical expertise focuses on screening and early detection, diagnosis, staging, and management of treatment-related complications in lung cancer. Dr. Rivera co-developed the North Carolina Lung Screening Registry (NCLSR), and through research funded by the NIH National Cancer Institute, she is examining the delivery, quality, and outcomes of lung cancer screening, the extent to which disparities in lung cancer screening outcomes exist, and how patient comorbidities and functional status impact screening outcomes. Through research funded by the Stand Up to Cancer Foundation, she is also evaluating how genetic testing may improve lung cancer risk assessment.

Dr. Rivera has received numerous honors throughout her career, including the 2017 CHEST Presidential Honor Lecture, the 2019 ATS Thoracic Oncology Assembly Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2026 ATS Elizabeth Rich Award. She has held prominent leadership roles in professional societies, including the American Thoracic Society, the American College of Chest Physicians, and the American Cancer Society National Lung Cancer Roundtable. Most notably, Dr. Rivera served as President of the American Thoracic Society from 2023 to 2024.

Committed to advancing the field, Dr. Rivera is deeply engaged in research, education, and mentorship and is dedicated to training the next generation of leaders in pulmonary and critical care medicine.