Irina Petrache, MD, Appointed 2024-25 President of American Thoracic Society

The American Thoracic Society (ATS) announced today that Irina Petrache, MD, will serve as president of the organization for 2024-25. Dr. Petrache is Chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at National Jewish Health. She also serves as a Professor in the Department of Medicine, Associate Vice President for Faculty Development and is the Wollowick Endowed Chair in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. In addition, she is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. First elected to the ATS board in 2021, Dr. Petrache served as ATS president-elect in 2023-2024.

“I am tremendously honored to serve the ATS membership in this leadership role,” said Dr. Petrache. “I look forward to spearheading the implementation of the Society's strategy to accelerate the exchange of research ideas, address the educational and career development needs of members and deliver robust advocacy to enhance global respiratory health.”

ATS is the largest and most prestigious international organization for health care providers, learners, and scientists focused on pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. With more than 16,000 members, the society is dedicated to accelerating the advancement of global respiratory health through multidisciplinary collaboration, education and advocacy.

Dr. Petrache’s clinical interests include COPD, emphysema, sarcoidosis, acute lung injury and pulmonary hypertension. She leads a laboratory at National Jewish Health that has carried out several investigations to better understand how disease develops in the lungs after being exposed to cigarette smoke and how lungs repair themselves after injury.