Quarterly Newsletter

April 2024, Issue 2

ATS Pulmonary Circulation

Early Career Working Group

Spotlight

In honor of Women’s History Month which concluded in March, we want to proudly spotlight the ATS PC Assembly’s Women in Pulmonary Vascular Disease Working Group, also known as WoW. WoW is a supportive workgroup created for women scientists, clinicians and physician-scientists. Their goal is to identify unique gender inequality challenges and propose initiatives to increase diversity, equity and inclusion, foster mentorship relationships between women, provide networking opportunities to establish collaborations and develop the skills and talents necessary to become successful professionals. Examples include a recent webinar cohosted by WoW and ECWG on job negotiation which included honest discussions of practical topics like negotiating for a new position and recruitment package, childcare, and family considerations with moving.

WoW Co-Chair

Dr. Larissa A. Shimoda is a Professor and Director of Research in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She is a pulmonary vascular physiologist focusing on the cellular mechanisms of pulmonary hypertension and endothelial cell function. Her research explores the non-canonical roles of channels and transporters in pulmonary vascular cell function, as well as the impact of hypoxia-inducible factors on lung physiology. With over two decades of funding from the NIH, Dr. Shimoda has received prestigious awards from the American Physiological Society and the ATS, including the Grover Award in 2021. She has held numerous leadership positions in professional organizations and served on NIH study sections. Committed to mentoring and diversity in the biomedical sciences, Dr. Shimoda leads NIH training grants for pre- and postdoctoral students and provides summer research opportunities for undergraduate students. Additionally, she has significant editorial experience, currently serving as Editor-in-Chief for the AJP-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology.

KE YUAN, Ph.D.

WoW Co-Chair

Dr. Ke Yuan is an Associate Scientific Researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital, an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, and a rising star in pulmonary vascular research. She uses state-of-the-art technologies to dissect the critical roles of endothelial cells, pericytes, and smooth muscle cells during angiogenesis and to understand abnormal vascular remodeling in pulmonary vascular diseases. Ultimately, she hopes to identify potential therapeutic targets that could be exploited for the development of new drugs capable of preventing abnormal vessel remodeling and obliteration in PAH. Dr. Yuan has been recognized nationally as a Parker B Francis Fellow, and has been the recipient of ATS Abstract Scholarship Awards, the PHA Proof of Concept Award, Aldrighetti Research Award for Young Investigators, and Innovation Research Award, the United Therapeutics Jenesis Emerging Trailblazer Award, and the ATS PC Assembly’s Mid-Career/Senior Fellowship Research Achievement Award in 2023.

In Person Events

American Thoracic Society International Conference

May 17 - 22, 2024

San Diego Convention Center and Marriott Marquis San Diego & Marina, San Diego, CA

Come for the opportunity to connect, engage, and collaborate with colleagues from around the world and to present and hear the latest research in pulmonary vascular diseases. Register here. The full program is now available online at:

https://conference.thoracic.org/program/clinical-scientific-sessions

ATS PC Assembly Membership Meeting

Monday, May 20th, 5 - 7 p.m.

Marriott Marquis San Diego & Marina Pacific Ballroom 18-19 (First Floor, Ground Level, North Tower)

Connect with PC Assembly members, gain insights into the assembly's current trajectory from current and future leaders, and celebrate the achievements of our community with the announcement of PC Assembly Award winners.

Virtual Events

Navigating the Early Career Landscape as an International Trainee

ATS Virtual Webinar

Monday, April 29th, 3 - 4 p.m. ET

Join a panel of pulmonary circulation scientists with training from around the e globe as they talk about how to best navigate the early career as an international trainee in pulmonary vascular research. Register here.

Proving Rigor and Feasibility – Approach, Team, Budget, Resources for Independent Awards

ATS Virtual Webinar

Tuesday, April 30th, 3 - 4 p.m. ET

Part of an exciting series of interactive webinars, "Grant Writer's Toolkit: K to R - Transition to Independence Series," presented by the RCMB's Early Career Professionals Working Group. Designed to empower physicians and scientists in the early career stages, this series offers invaluable insights from experts who have navigated the path to crafting successful R-level grants. Register here.

Awards And funding opportunities

Awards and funding opportunities