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Department of Pediatrics Department of Pediatrics
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About us

  • The Division of Respiratory Medicine is dedicated to improving all aspects of respiratory health affecting infants, children, and young adults.
  • The Division has maintained a national ranking in Pulmonology in the U.S. News and World Report survey of children’s hospitals since 2009, with improved scores each year.
  • Many of the senior faculty are internationally recognized.
  • The clinical programs provide expert consultation, clinical management expertise, and patient and family education to children and youth with respiratory disorders in San Diego and surrounding counties, and receive referrals from throughout the U.S. and other countries.
  • The divisional research programs range from fundamental basic investigations regarding the effect of disordered respiration, hypoxia and hypercapnia on cell function and cell fate in brain, heart and lung, to cutting- edge basic research in pulmonary fibrosis and cystic fibrosis, and novel clinical research studies in cystic fibrosis. Divisional scholars provide research training and mentorship to future investigators from the undergraduate to junior faculty levels.
  • The Division of Respiratory Medicine is critical to the educational mission of the Department of Pediatrics, with a well regarded Pulmonology Fellowship program which has received full five-year accreditation on its first external review, and programs specific to students, housestaff, fellows and the San Diego practice community.
  • Dr. Lesser has developed a monthly Western states Pediatric Pulmonary Teleconference case discussion series which now includes over 14 Respiratory Medicine programs in several Western states and Canadian Provinces, to improve care of complex patients, and provide education and networking for subspecialty residents and junior faculty in Respiratory Medicine throughout the region.

Vision Statement

Recognizing the centrality of healthy breathing to overall health, and the high prevalence of respiratory disorders in pediatric medicine, the Pediatric Respiratory Medicine Division at UCSD will provide outstanding, family-centered, state-of-the-art care with compassion and efficiency, educating the next generation of leaders in Respiratory Medicine, generating new knowledge about childhood respiratory health and disease, disseminating that knowledge broadly, and advocating on behalf of our patients.

Priority Areas for Growth/Recruitment

Clinical:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine/ Respiratory Consequences of Neuromuscular Disorders
  • Asthma (Translational Science)
  • Cystic Fibrosis (Translational Science and Quality of Care)
  • Childhood Interstitial Lung Diseases
  • Genomics/Epigenomics of Childhood Respiratory Disease
  • Infant Pulmonary Function Testing
  • Mobile Health Technologies

Research:

  • Interstitial Lung Diseases/Lung Remodeling
  • Genetic/Molecular Basis of Diffuse Lung Disease
  • Airway Epithelial Biology and Ion/Fluid Transport
  • Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling and Hypertension
  • Infection, Environment, Innate Immunity, Inflammation and Lung Disease
  • CF Clinical Research and Quality Improvement
  • Population Health, Respiratory Conditions
  • Remote Monitoring, Mobile Health Technologies
  • Medical Decision Support, Machine Learning Programming to enhance Medical Decision Making