At ATS 2018, you’ll hear from world-renowned clinicians and scientists who will reflect on milestones in the pulmonary, critical care, and sleep fields. They will discuss how advances in science will change respiratory medicine. And they will share the very latest research and scientific findings through approximately 6,700 abstracts and case reports, and 500 sessions. Here are some highlights.
ATS 2018 will connect you to cutting-edge science and groundbreaking research through more than 500 sessions led by 800 experts.
Major Symposia
Bioengineering may change the practice of pulmonary medicine through engineering of molecules, stem cells, organisms, and devices. Two symposia will focus on the importance of bioengineering and its impact on pulmonary medicine.
“ATS Mythbusters: Bioengineering Approaches Will Revolutionize Respiratory Medicine in the Next Ten Years” (A86) will summarize the recent advances in iPS cell differentiation and their use as potential therapies as well as ex vivo lung tissue bioengineering approaches for lung disease and transplantation. This symposium is set up mythbusters style, and presenters will debate the scientific aspects of cell regeneration. It takes place in the afternoon on Sunday, May 20.
Learn about cellular and tissue engineering approaches in the lungs during “At the Interface of Engineering and Respiratory Medicine: Updates and Applications,” (B91) presented Monday, May 21. This symposium will explore approaches that include lung organoid/spheroid, microfluidic organ engineering methods, and matrix-based recellularized tissues, and how these apply to disease modeling, drug testing, biomarker discovery, and regenerative medicine.
Clinicians and clinical researchers will want to attend “JAMA and the New England Journal of Medicine: Discussion on the Edge: Reports of Recently Published Pulmonary Research,” (A2) on Sunday, May 20, in the morning and “The New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA: Discussion on the Edge: Reports of Recently Published Critical Care Research” (A84) in the afternoon. Both two-hour sessions feature the presentation of recently published articles, and will include time for discussion between attendees, and authors, and editors.
The President’s Symposium on Monday, May 21, will focus on medical education. “Metacognition in Medicine: Understanding How the Mind Works to Improve Teaching, Learning, and Patient Care” (B13) will review the foundational processes of how humans think and how to leverage those concepts for effective teaching in a variety of settings. Educating patients will be specifically emphasized.
Basic Science Core
These two-hour sessions will focus on mitochondrial dysfunction as a driver of lung disease. This is a cutting-edge topic of interest to basic scientists that is also moving to the clinical realm. For each day listed below, one session is presented in the morning and the other in the afternoon.
Sunday
“Setting the Stage: Mitochondrial Dysfunction as a Driver of Chronic Disease” (A5) will highlight emerging understanding of the breadth and integrated pathobiological responses and roles for mitochondria, and how this knowledge will help develop mitochondria-targeting therapies.
“Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Reprogramming in Lung Aging and Disease” (A85) will examine pathobiological responses of mitochondria during aging and disease, and how these may contribute to lung tissue destruction.
Monday
“Mitochondria and Nuclear-Derived Danger-Associated Molecular Patterns (Damps) in Pulmonary Diseases” (B5) will explain the recent advances in mitochondria and nuclear-derived DAMPs, particularly in their cell signaling, redox status, and the therapeutic potential of targeting these DAMPs in pulmonary disease.
“Immunometabolism: The Complex Interplay Between Metabolic Reprogramming and Immunity” (B85) will review the concept and basic principles of immunometabolism, the crucial role of the mitochondria in these processes, and how the function of various immune cell types is affected by specific metabolic reprogramming and nutrient availability.
Tuesday
“Mitochondria-Targeted Therapeutics for Preventing or Treating Lung Diseases” (C5) will survey the current knowledge on the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in connecting environmental stress to lung disease, recent advances in targeting mitochondria, and the therapeutic potential for such strategies.
“Scientific Breakthroughs: Cell Function, Fate and Fitness: Role of Mitochondria” (C85) will discuss the critical physiologic and pathophysiologic roles of mitochondria in acute and chronic lung diseases as well as in systemic syndromes, such as sepsis and critical illness.
Postgraduate Courses
ATS 2018 will offer 29 postgraduate courses, including several courses that provide hands-on learning with ultrasound, echocardiography, bronchoscopy, and EBUS. These courses give clinicians an opportunity to lead with new skills as well as new knowledge.
Adult and pediatric pulmonary, critical care, and sleep topics will be covered in the courses, which will be presented Friday, May 18, and Saturday, May 19. Each ATS Assembly is presenting at least one daylong course.
The postgraduate courses are developed for adult and pediatric clinicians, research scientists, clinical research coordinators, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other advanced care providers at both the early career and senior levels. Many of the courses feature speakers from around the world.
Be ready to join the conversation. These courses are often interactive with case discussions and breakout discussions.
Postgraduate Course Schedule
8 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, May 18
PG1A, Critical Care Ultrasound and Echocardiography I (Practical Skills Course); Clinical, Hands-On (This is half of a two-day course, with PG1B; you cannot register for one day without the other.)
PG2, Expanding Horizons in Support for Respiratory Failure: ECMO and Beyond (Practical Skills Course); Clinical, Translational
PG3, Advanced Pap Therapy: Treatment of Sleep Disordered Breathing Beyond OSA; (Practical Skills Course); Clinical
PG4, Asthma State of the Art 2018; Basic, Clinical, Translational
PG5, Racing to Excellence: The Art and Science of Critical Care Quality Improvement; Clinical
PG6, Sarcoidosis Update; Clinical
PG7, Pleural Disease 2018: Evidence-Based Best Practice in Investigations and Management; Clinical
PG8, A Physiologic Approach to Mechanical Ventilation; Clinical
PG9, Does My Patient Have Environmental of Occupational Lung Disease?; Clinical
PG10, Difficult Clinical Problems in Pulmonary and Critical Care Infections; Clinical
PG11, Genetic Pulmonary Medicine; Clinical, Translational
PG12, Pediatric Respiratory Physiology: Tests of Lung Function and Diseases They Test For; Basic, Clinical, Translational
PG13, Forgotten and Controversial Topics in Pulmonary Hypertension; Clinical
PG14, Are Your Mitochondria Happy? A Beginner’s Guide to Assessing Mitochondrial Function at the Bench (Practical Skills Course); Basic, Translational
8 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, May 19
PG1B, Critical Care Ultrasound and Echocardiography II (Practical Skills Course); Clinical, Hands-On (This is half of a two-day course, with PG1A; you cannot register for one day without the other.)
PG16, Bronch Day: A Comprehensive, Hands-On Guide to Basic Bronchoscopy and EBUS (Practical Skills Course); Clinical, Hands-On
PG17, Studying Pharmacogenomics in Lung Disease and Critical Illness; Clinical, Translational
PG18, The Nuts and Bolts of Qualitative Research: How to Do it Well in Research, Medical Education, and Quality Improvement; Behavioral, Translational
PG19, Interstitial Lung Disease: Update and Evolving Trends in Diagnosis and Management; Basic, Behavioral, Clinical, Translational
PG20, Thoracic Imaging for the Pulmonologist and Critical Care Physician: A Case-Based Review; Clinical
PG21, A Hands-On Introduction to Studying the Lung Mirobiome; Basic, Translational
PG22, Bronchiectasis and Adult Cystic Fibrosis: Where Do We Stand Today? Basic, Clinical, Translational
PG23, Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of Pediatric Severe Asthma; Clinical, Translational
PG24, Aerodigestive Approach to Complex Chronic Pediatric Diseases; Clinical
PG25, Pulmonary Embolism; A Journey from Submassive to Chronic Complications; Clinical
PG26, Practical Strategies to Enhance Patient Engagement in Health Care; Clinical,
PG27, Master Physiology Class: Common Diseases From a Physiologic Perspective; Basic, Clinical
PG28, What the Pulmonologist and the Intensivist Should Know About Sleep Apnea; Clinical, Translational
PG29, State of the Art: Lung Cancer in 2018; Behavioral, Clinical, Translational