ATS Breathe Easy

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) changed the dollar value of statistical life in January 2026. What does that mean for the average American? As Anthony Gerber, MD, University of Kentucky, explains to Air Health Our Health host Erika Moseson, MD, MA, this means that they are no longer taking into account how clean air policies and other key legislation will affect human life. In this first of a two-part series on the EPA’s dollar value of a statistical life, Dr. Gerber explains what this change means and why is it significant. 

 How can peers help those in their field entering mid-career? Through the sharing of their successes and struggles. This was the solution Joshua Lee Denson, MD, MS, Tulane University, and colleagues came up with when asked for event ideas for the ATS International Conference. The ATS Storytelling Series has been a huge success, giving mid-career professionals a space to highlight wins, discuss issues, and connect with a community of professionals looking to advance and expand. Dr. Denson and host Amy Attaway, MD, Cleveland Clinic, talk about how this series was developed, how it has helped others in the past, and what to look forward to at ATS 2026. Be sure to register for ATS 2026: https://registration.experientevent.com/ShowATS261/Flow/ATT?atslogin=1&marketingcode=YOUTUBE 

 Immigrants make up a significant portion of the medical and scientific community at all levels, from students all the way to senior faculty. But the Trump administration’s new policies will make it hard for institutions to bring in new international talent and possibly retain the key contributors. Host Patti Tripathi talks with medical historian Eram Alam, PhD, Harvard University, and ATS Past-President Lynn Schnapp, MD, ATSF, University of Wisconsin, about how the fields of respiratory medicine and research are losing the best and the brightest, and what that means for public health. Learn more about the Hart-Celler Act: https://dissentmagazine.org/article/how-the-hart-celler-act-changed-america/ 

This is the second episode of our discussions on the experiences and challenges of transitioning into being a mid-career professional. For many, mid-career brings a wave of financial and personal pressure, leaving them working out how to handle new milestones and systems while managing their careers. Last Zebra Podcast creator Ugo Ezema, MD, of Tulane University hosts this episode. He speaks with fellow Tulane University colleague Joshua Lee Denson, MD, MS, and Kristina Montemayor, MD, MHS, Johns Hopkins University, about financial education, negotiation skills, retirement planning, leadership boundaries, and more.Be sure to register for ATS 2026 for some of the great mid-career programs, including the ATS Storytelling series, the Mid-Career Roadmap and Toolkit, Scientific Symposium: Breathing New Life Into Your Career.

Are you looking for ways to grow your career and keep expanding your education as you transition out of your early-career days? Last Zebra Podcast creator Ugo Ezema, MD, of Tulane University, joins as this week’s host. He speaks with fellow Tulane University colleague Joshua Lee Denson, MD, MS, and Kristina Montemayor, MD, MHS, Johns Hopkins University, about opportunities for mid-career growth, including at ATS 2026, as well as challenges unique to those at this stage of their professional life.Register for ATS 2026 and get insights on resources for mid-career professionals.

Biologics have changed how patients with asthma are able to handle their symptoms and prevent them from getting worse. Host Amy Attaway, MD, Cleveland Clinic, talks with Monica Kraft, MD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and De De Gardner, DrPh, Allergy and Asthma Network and member of PAR about depemokimab, the newest biologic for those with severe asthma. Learn how this novel treatment is used once every six months to improve patient outcomes, as well as the research behind this biologic and the future of asthma treatment. Read Dr. Kraft's paper on depemokimab: https://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0012-3692(25)00855-4/pdf  Editor's note: During this episode, Dr. Kraft mistakenly said that depemokimab was approved for treating nasal polyps. Please note that depemokimab is not approved for treating this condition. 

ATS 2026 is right around the corner! Jennifer L. Taylor, MD, MSCS, ATSF –  ATS International Conference Committee chair, tenured Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics and medical director of Clinical Research Services at National Jewish Health – talks about the amazing keynote speakers for this year’s conference, how to get the most out of the conference’s many offerings, and a little look at how much planning goes into this influential, must-attend conference.  Early registration closes March 12! https://registration.experientevent.com/ShowATS261/Flow/ATT?atslogin=1&marketingcode=YOUTUBEATS members save even more on conference registration, so become a member or renew today: https://site.thoracic.org/membership

Scientific research grants were abruptly terminated for hundreds of researchers including those in the ATS community in 2025. Many of these resulted in research that had already been done and was in final stages being discarded. Important studies done with community collaboration are at risk. Neeta Thakur, MD, of the University of California San Francisco, was one such researcher. Her EPA grant to study the effects of wildfire smoke on vulnerable communities was abruptly terminated. Dr. Thakur discusses her experience receiving the cuts, collaborating with other researchers on a lawsuit to restore the funding and finish the research, and how these cuts will affect the future of health and patient outcomes with Air Health Our Health host Erika Moseson, MD, MA. For more on funding cuts, listen to prior ATS Breathe Easy podcast episodes: - ATS Breathe Easy - The Real Cost of Federal Budget Cuts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49g5RBSqMkE - ATS Breathe Easy - The Human Cost of the NIH Cuts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dIlg_L7qqI 

 Interstitial Lung Abnormality (ILA) and Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) are often detected using CT scans and other imaging. But the definition of ILAs and how abnormalities are found throughout a patient's clinical journey continues to grow and improve. Host Eddie Qian, MD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, discusses the importance of spotting ILAs and diagnosing ILDs earlier for better patient outcomes with experts Anna Podolanczuk, MD, Weill Cornell Medical Center, and Joe Mammarappallil, MD, Duke University. This episode is sponsored in part by Boehringer Ingelheim. Read "Approach to the Evaluation and Management of Interstitial Lung Abnormalities: An Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Statement": https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/rccm.202505-1054ST 

 We all know that sleep is important, but how much can eight hours really do for us? Turns out, a good night’s rest does more than restore our energy; restful sleep helps regulate weight, blood sugar, and even blood pressure. Ding Zou, MD, PhD, and Mio Kobayashi Frisk, MD, of the University of Gothenburg, studied how conditions like sleep apnea and insomnia affect hypertension, with those getting less sleep having higher instances of elevated blood pressure levels. Host Patti Tripathi discusses their study, what solutions exist for better sleep, and what future studies may look like. Read the paper: https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1513/AnnalsATS.202501-080OC