Asthma Research | National Jewish Health

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In the United States asthma has reached epidemic proportions:

one in 12 adults and one in 11 children have asthma
nine people die every day from the disease

Asthma treatment at National Jewish Health helps address this health problem using a multidisciplinary and multispecialty care approach that integrates clinical and research efforts to deliver the best care possible and expedite the bench-to-bedside process resulting in successful asthma care, management and research.

We are dedicated to gaining a better understanding of asthma with the ultimate goal of discovering novel therapeutic options for patients with this challenging disease.

As one of the largest asthma specialty care centers in the world, we have nearly 30,000 patient visits annually, a varied asthma patient population, and a multitude of ongoing asthma research endeavors.

Rafeul Alam, MD, PhD
Ron Balkissoon, MD, MSc, DIH, FRCPC
David A. Beuther, MD, PhD, FCCP
Jordan Bull, PA-C
Anne DelBovo, NP
Gregory P. Downey, MD, FRCPC
David M. Ferraro, MD
Jessica Galant-Swafford, MD
Marjorie Patricia George, MD
Anthony N. Gerber, MD, PhD
Ann Granchelli, MD
Yakira Gruber, DPT
Vamsi P. Guntur, MD, MSc
Flavia Cecilia Lega Hoyte, MD
Shelby R. Jenkins, OTR
Rohit K. Katial, MD
Matthew Koslow, MD
Gabriel C. Lockhart, MD
Steven E. Lommatzsch, MD
Sean Maddock, MD
Adriel J. Malavé, MD
Vipin Malik, MD
Laurie A. Manka, MD
Richard J. Martin, MD
Hilda Metjian, MD, FCCP
Michael Nevid, MD
Christine Nguyen, DO
James K. O'Brien, MD, FACP, FCCP
Claudia Onofrei, MD, MSc
Kanao Otsu, MD, MPH
Irina Petrache, MD
Howard Saft, MD, MS
Michael D. Schwartz, MD, FCCM
Elaine M. K. Schwartz, MD, FCCP
Jennifer Sederberg, NP
Savannah Shannon, PA-C
Evan L. Stepp, MD
Sheila Tsai, MD
Eileen Wang, MD, MPH
Ryan Webster, MD
Michael E. Wechsler, MD, MMSc
James Woodrow, MD
Allison Zangle, PT, DPT

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Clinical Asthma Program

As one of the nation’s top respiratory centers, National Jewish Health treats more than 7,500 asthma patients annually and offer the most comprehensive and individualized range of treatment programs available for patients annually with mild to severe asthma. We utilize a multidisciplinary approach, tailored diagnostics and therapeutics, patient education and psychological treatment to help patients gain control over their disease and dramatically improve their quality of life.

Learn more about our Adult Asthma Program

Learn more about our Pediatric Asthma Program

Asthma research at National Jewish Health is made possible through funding from a wide variety of sources such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Medicare, industry sponsors and private donors.

Our investigators are part of the NHLBI’s Asthma Clinical Research Network (Asthmanet), the American Lung Association Clinical Research Consortium and are leaders in asthma clinical trials.

Asthma Scientific Discoveries at National Jewish Health

IgE, the molecule - this discovery has become the basis for many new treatments for asthma and allergies.
Mechanisms of apoptosis - pioneering efforts led us to understand how the body effectively removes and recycles up to two billion cells a day and resolves inflammation in the lung.
Immune response trigger - research revealed that fragments of proteins from invading organisms bound to and presented by MHC molecules triggers the adaptive immune response.
The immunological synapse – our scientists found the complex and long-lived connection between immune-system cells that greatly influences the immune response.
New family of anti-viral agents – research proved that a naturally occurring lipid fights viral infections and related inflammation in the lungs.

Asthma Clinical Research Areas of Interest

Development of novel therapies and biologics for asthma
Molecular, cellular and animal model approaches to understand the mechanism of asthma
Psychosocial aspects of disease management
Quality of life factors
Accurate diagnostic tool development
Environmental factors
Genetic factors

Asthma Biorepository

National Jewish Health developed an asthma biorepository that includes nearly 2,000 adult patient biological and tissue samples tied to phenotypic information that can lead to new discoveries in genotyping, pharmacology, and treatments that optimize each patient’s asthma care and quality of life.

Asthma researchers at National Jewish Health conduct important basic science research that has improved our understanding of the underlying biologic causes of asthma. Importantly, NJH researchers are utilizing this research to translate findings into humans.

Asthma Translational Research Resources

Novel human lung cell systems
Genetic animal models of pulmonary disease
Animal pulmonary physiology
Animal inhalation exposure systems
Active drug development program
Asthma Pharmacogenetics

Asthma Animal Models and Cell Cultures

National Jewish Health investigators use several animal models and an extensive collection of cell cultures available from patients with asthma to study aspects of the underlying mechanisms of asthma development and to gain insight into systems biology and into asthma pathogenesis.