Message From the Chief  

The Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (PCCM) is comprised of a team of outstanding clinicians, scientists, and scholars dedicated to improving the lives of patients with serious lung disease. The first heart-lung transplant in the world was performed at Stanford in a patient with pulmonary hypertension. Since then, cardiologists and pulmonologists at Stanford have been at the forefront of new developments in the understanding and treatment of cardiopulmonary disease. We are committed to strong clinical investigations including the evaluation of new pharmacologic agents, which offer potentially promising therapeutic benefits, as well as outcome studies which characterize clinical parameters to effect positive changes in patient care.

PCCM is driven by 12 full time faculty, one emeritus faculty member, two clinician educators and 12 additional educators. We have a strong ancillary team of skilled social workers, dieticians, study coordinators and nurse practitioners who are highly trained to address the specific needs of lung disease patients. The Division's overriding research mission supports basic science research and innovative approaches for the prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases as well as for the advancement of care in the intensive care unit. Faculty, fellows, and trainees collaborate with investigators in science and clinical departments across the university and with faculty in divisions throughout the Department of Medicine.

Patient care for is provided and carefully overseen at Stanford University Medical Center, Veteran's Administration Medical Center and Santa Clara Medical Center. Clinical care for patients with life-threatening pulmonary hypertension is provided by a team of medical professionals with expertise in all forms of pulmonary hypertension. In 2011, the Center of Advanced Lung Disease was established at Stanford. This rapidly expanding enterprise includes strong programs which investigate and treat patients with cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease and lung transplants. Stanford currently has one of the busiest and most successful lung and heart/lung transplant programs in the country, performing approximately 50 transplants per year. In addition, more than 200 adults with cystic fibrosis are treated at Stanford's Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program, making it one of the largest treatment centers in the country specifically geared to the medical need needs of adults living with cystic fibrosis. This high quality of care is reflected in an improved quality of life and increased survival rate for Stanford CF patients.

In addition to providing outstanding clinical care, PCCM at Stanford is committed to performing state-of-the-art research to advance the health of patients with lung disease. In conjunction with the Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease, we have one of the leading research programs in the country addressing conditions that affect the circulatory system of the lung. Other areas of strength include strong investigative programs in transplantation, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary development, and critical care medicine and lung cancer. In collaboration with UCSF, we have recently formed a strong partnership called the Northern California Scleroderma Research Consortium. The objective of this consortium is to advance the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of scleroderma and apply this knowledge to the development of novel biomarkers and effective therapies for patients suffering from scleroderma.

The PCCM fellowship program is uniquely designed to meet the needs of trainees who are interested in academic careers as researchers or clinical investigators and is designed to foster the development of outstanding pulmonary physicians specializing in clinical or basic research and clinical education.

We invite you to learn more about our Division through our website.

Mark Nicolls, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine: Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Division Chief