Welcome to the Respiratory Research Center
Respiratory Medicine and Exercise Physiology are at our Core
Since 1967, the Respiratory Research Center at The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation has conducted clinical and translational research to develop new therapies for patients with chronic lung diseases and other conditions that limit exercise tolerance.
- Our world leading research team specializes in respiratory medicine and exercise physiology, including pulmonary function, cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), musculoskeletal and mitochondrial health
- Affiliated with Harbor/UCLA Medical Center
- Our UCLA-affiliated medical faculty pioneered new diagnostics, medications, devices and therapies to reduce shortness of breath, enhance physical activity and exercise capacity
Our UCLA-Affiliated Respiratory Research Team has Expertise in all Chronic Respiratory Diseases
Welcome to Respiratory Research Center, a full-service respiratory diagnostic and investigative medicine research clinic located at The Lundquist Institute on the campus of Harbor/UCLA Medical Center. We research chronic lung diseases that inhibit the quality of life for our research participants.
EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY
Researching exercise intolerance improves the lives of patients both physically and mentally. Learn More
CENTRAL LAB DATA READING
Our Core Lab clinical trial central reading processes and documentation are FDA compliant. Learn More
RESPIRATORY HEALTH
We are dedicated to researching chronic respiratory diseases that affect people around the world. Learn More
Quality of Life With Respiratory Disease
Improving Life for Those With Chronic Respiratory Disease
Respiratory diseases affect people all over the world and in every walk of life. From the young to the elderly, respiratory diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis (COPD) and asthma, reduce the quality of life for otherwise healthy individuals. Shortness of breath and exercise intolerance impair a persons ability to stay active and live a healthy lifestyle.
Our commitment is to improve the quality and duration of life for those suffering from respiratory diseases. Through partnerships with the National Institutes for Health (NIH), industry, healthcare providers, foundations, and our study participants we continue to contribute to medical advancements.
Our Respiratory Research Investigators
It is the people who make the Respiratory Research Center what it is today and we are extremely proud of the achievements of our research investigators and staff. We all work together to discover new treatments to improve the quality and duration of life for those suffering from respiratory diseases.
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Asghar Abbasi, Ph.D.
Investigator
Dr. Abbasi’s research centers on the immunological mechanisms by which exercise improves chronic lung disease such as COPD.
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Carrie Ferguson, Ph.D.
Investigator
Dr. Ferguson’s research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of exercise intolerance with the aim of developing effective strategies to ameliorate exercise limitations and improve exercise performance, particularly in those with chronic disease.
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David Hsia, M.D.
Professor of Medicine, UCLA
Dr. Hsia conducts clinical research in pulmonary medicine with a focus on interventional pulmonology, lung cancer, and COPD.
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Harry Rossiter, Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine, UCLA
Dr. Rossiter conducts clinical and translational research in respiratory medicine and exercise physiology, with the goal of improving the lives of those with exercise intolerance.
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Janine Vintch, M.D.
Professor of Medicine, UCLA
Dr. Vintch’s area of focus is on anticoagulation and the management of venous thromboembolic (VTE) disease, including deep vein thromboses and pulmonary emboli and is involved in a number of studies related to this area of medicine.
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Janos Porszasz, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine, UCLA
Dr. Porszasz’s research interests involve exercise limitation by respiratory and cardiovascular causes, ventilatory limitation, dynamic hyperinflation and respiratory mechanics during exercise, and pulmonary hypertension.
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Kathy E. Sietsema, M.D.
Professor of Medicine, UCLA
Dr. Sietsema has conducted original, federally sponsored and industry sponsored clinical research involving assessment of physical functioning and exercise performance in a wide range of chronic diseases including pulmonary hypertension, chronic heart failure, congenital heart disease and chronic lung diseases.
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Nathan Yee, M.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor, UCLA
Dr. Yee is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Investigator at The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation.
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Nicholas Jendzjowsky, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, UCLA
Dr. Jendzjowsky’s primary research interests lie with the mechanism(s) by which reflex driven autonomic efferent projections regulate immunity.
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Richard Casaburi, M.Eng, Ph.D., M.D.
Distinguished Professor of Medicine, UCLA
Dr. Richard Casaburi has extensive experience and an international reputation for his clinical trials research in evaluating interventions designed to improve the exercise tolerance of patients with chronic disease.
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Thomas DeCato, M.D., FCCP
Assistant Professor, UCLA
Dr. DeCato has extensive experience in pulmonary laboratory medicine utilizing the spectrum of pulmonary function testing and cardiopulmonary exercise testing and his clinical and research interests include the application of this to improve patient care, dyspnea, and quality of life.
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William W. Stringer, M.D.
Professor of Medicine, UCLA
Dr. Stringer is active in respiratory patient care, teaching (medical students, residents and fellows), medical administration, and lung research at The Lundquist Institute.
Our Research Specialties
We at the Respiratory Research Center aim to improve the lives of people with respiratory disease. Our research investigators are world-renowned
in their experience with understanding respiratory health. Our researchers have decades of experience conducting clinical trials that have lead to respiratory treatment discoveries.
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs.
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Exercise Training and Rehabilitation
Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a supervised medical program that helps people who have lung diseases live and breathe better.
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Pulmonary Hypertension
Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is a disease of high blood pressure in your pulmonary artery. This is the large artery that leaves the heart and goes to your lungs.
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Long Haul COVID
The CDC uses the term “Long Haul COVID” to describe post-COVID health issues that persist more than four weeks after a person is first infected
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Asthma
Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and may produce extra mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, a whistling sound (wheezing)
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Unexplained Dyspnea & Exercise Intolerance
Shortness-of-breath, or Dyspnea, is a common symptom that causes exercise limitation or “intolerance”. Breathlessness during exercise is often
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Muscle Weakness
There are many reasons why individuals may lose strength, but in many patients with chronic heart, lung or kidney diseases the loss of muscle mass and strength is faster than normal.