Thomas Ferkol, MD

From its origins as the American Sanatorium Association to the present day, the American Thoracic Society has witnessed extraordinary breakthroughs and discoveries that have changed the lives of patients we treat.  Celebrating its 110th anniversary next year, the Society is poised to contribute countless advances to the understanding and treatment of lung diseases worldwide.

Opportunities for discoveries have never been greater. New insights into the human genome, epigenetics, functional genomics, and emerging technologies has allowed us to examine complex networks of genes, gene products, and environmental factors that will unlock the mysteries of lung disease.

With discoveries from the bench increasingly applied to diagnostics and patient care, there is a critical need for pulmonary scientists and clinical investigators, who translate observations from the bench to the bedside.  We must identify and train our next generation of thought leaders, who will uncover the wonders of science and translate them into life-changing therapies.  Medical educators will play even greater roles in sharing these discoveries with our colleagues and patients, and define new standards of care for lung diseases.  In addition, we need to encourage and channel the passion and talents of our members to serve as advocates committed to achieving better global lung health and enhancing the lives of the people we treat.

As a Society, we must help our members achieve these goals, especially those who are early in their careers during the most vulnerable time of their professional lives.  Their success is vital to our mission of improving respiratory health everywhere and in ensuring the strength of the Society for another 110 years.