Dr. Shanda Blackmon, Executive Director of the Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute, interviews Dr. Ramiro Fernandez about the critical link between reflux and lung transplant outcomes. They discuss Dr. Fernandez’s approach to managing reflux in post-operative lung transplant patients, how reflux can increase the risk of graft failure, and strategies for prevention and treatment, including anti-reflux surgery and screening protocols. Dr. Fernandez also shares insights on his ongoin...

Dr. Shanda Blackmon, Executive Director of the Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute, and Dr. David B. Corry explore the complexities of immunology, allergy, and rheumatology with a focus on airway mycosis. Drawing on Dr. Corry’s pulmonary critical care expertise, they discuss fungal sinusitis, diagnostic techniques, and the future of allergic airway disease care. This episode offers a deep dive into managing fungal infections in the airway and the future of care in this field. Bayl...

Dr. Shanda Blackmon, Executive Director of the Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute, and Dr. Ivan Rosas, Section Chief of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, discuss the Advanced Lung Disease clinic and its vital role for patients with conditions such as pulmonary fibrosis. They cover the journey to diagnosis, early detection, and the crucial role of genetics in identifying at-risk individuals. They also explore actionable steps for those at-...

Dr. Shanda Blackmon, Executive Director of the Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute, and Dr. Meera Patel, director of the Tumor Board and lead for lung cancer in the oncology department at Baylor College of Medicine, discuss key developments in lung cancer care. Topics include Dr. Patel’s clinical practice, current trends in incidence and prognosis, and cases presenting without traditional risk factors. The episode highlights the Baylor College of Medicine Imagine Project, which utilizes...

In this episode, Dr. Shanda Blackmon, Executive Director of the Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute, speaks with Dr. Thomas Milner, PhD, director of the Biophotonics Program at Baylor College of Medicine. Together, they explore how nano-sized structures are being used to bioengineer light for innovative patient treatments. Their discussion highlights collaborative research across institutions and disciplines focused on advancing care for patients with lung disease. Dr. Milner also share...

In this episode, Dr. Shanda Blackmon, Executive Director of the Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute, sits down with Dr. Richard Gibbs, founding director of Baylor College of Medicine’s Human Genome Sequencing Program. Dr. Gibbs shares the story behind the creation of the program, its pivotal role in sequencing the human genome, and the exciting advancements shaping the future of genetic research. Together, they explore how genomic science is transforming patient care—particularly in the...

In this episode, Dr. Shanda Blackmon, Executive Director of the Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute, sits down with Dr. Zaid Ali Siddiqui to explore the evolving field of lung radiation oncology therapy. Dr. Siddiqui shares what drew him to radiation oncology and offers insight into how the treatment landscape for lung cancer continues to advance. The conversation covers key topics such as navigating clinical trials, selecting optimal treatment plans, and the nuances between stereotacti...

Dr. Shanda Blackmon, Executive Director of the Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute, and Dr. Nicola A. Hanania, a leading expert in adult-onset asthma and airway diseases, delve into the complexities of asthma in adults. They discuss how adult asthma differs from childhood asthma, covering treatment strategies, management plans, and the impact of comorbidities. Dr. Hanania shares insights on assessing asthma control—from evaluating symptoms and lung function testing to advanced me...

In this episode, Dr. Shanda Blackmon, Executive Director of the Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute, and Dr. Subhasis Chatterjee explore the critical role of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) and advanced lung support in managing severe respiratory failure. They explain what ECMO is, how it works, and the clinical decision-making behind its use. The discussion covers how ECMO can give the lungs time to recover, serve as a bridge to lung transplantation, and when it may be contr...

In this episode, Dr. Shanda Blackmon, Executive Director of the Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute, and Dr. Sunjay Devarajan explore bronchiectasis, a chronic and heterogeneous lung condition that often represents a common endpoint for many underlying diseases. They discuss how the disease develops, its varied clinical presentations, and the importance of identifying and treating underlying causes such as rheumatoid arthritis. The conversation highlights treatment strategies incl...

Dr. Shanda Blackmon, Executive Director of the Lung Institute, introduces Dr. Taylor Ripley, a leading expert in thoracic surgery and lung cancer research. Dr. Ripley specializes in complex conditions such as mesothelioma, esophageal cancer, and mediastinal masses. In their discussion, they focus on mesothelioma, a rare cancer often caused by asbestos exposure, highlighting its causes, latency period, and diagnostic challenges. Dr. Ripley explains how mesothelioma typically affects the chest ...

Dr. Shanda Blackmon, Executive Director of the Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute, interviews Dr. Philip Alapat. Dr. Alapat is an expert and leader within the Sleep Section of the Pulmonary Division at Baylor College of Medicine. Together, they explore how sleep affects daily life, memory, and health. They discuss how to optimize lung health and sleep. Dr. Alapat gives tips from his years of experience coaching patients to enhance their sleep. He discusses specific disorders of sleep a...

Dr. Shanda Blackmon, Executive Director of the Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute, interviews Dr. Julina Ongkasuwan about her work with restoring function to the vocal folds. Patients who suffer from loss of voice due to injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Dr. Ongkasuwan is one of only a few surgeons in the world who has extensive experience transferring nerves to the recurrent laryngeal nerve to restore voice, prevent aspiration and protect the lungs. Baylor College of Medicine L...

In this episode of the Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute Podcast Series “On Air”, Executive Director Dr. Shanda Blackmon sits down with Dr. Gabriel Loor, Surgical Director of Baylor’s Lung Transplant Program, to explore the evolving world of lung transplantation. They discuss patient selection criteria, the remarkable growth of the lung transplant program at Baylor, and the supportive measures available before transplant, including ECMO and ventilator assistance. Dr. Loor also explain...

In the inaugural episode of the Baylor College of Medicine Lung Institute Podcast Series “On Air”, Executive Director Dr. Shanda Blackmon speaks with Dr. Cyrus Vahdatpour about the Baylor Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic and the complex condition of pulmonary hypertension. They explore how pulmonary hypertension presents in patients, its prognosis, and current approaches to patient management. The conversation covers screening and diagnosis, the different types of pulmonary hypertension, and the...