Lungcast: ATS 2025 with Harold P. Wimmer and Francesca Polverino, MD, PhD

In this special episode of Lungcast, host Albert Rizzo, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the American Lung Association (ALA) speaks to several important topics in the field of pulmonology on-site at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2025 International Conference in San Francisco, California.

The episode features 2 interviews, including one with Harold P. Wimmer, CEO of the ALA, and another with Francesca Polverino, MD, PhD, spokesperson for the ALA and Lester and Sue Smith Professor in the Pulmonary and Critical Care Division at the Baylor College of Medicine. The 2 leaders in the respiratory health space explored current challenges, advancements, and collaborations driving the field of pulmonology forward.

Harold P. Wimmer outlined the organization’s mission and strategic initiatives within the broader landscape of pulmonary health. Wimmer emphasizes the immense value of attending ATS, citing the opportunity to engage with emerging science, observe the latest technologies, and interact with ALA-supported investigators presenting at the meeting.

Wimmer highlighted the ALA’s research portfolio, which includes the Awards and Grants Program and the Airways Clinical Research Centers (ACRC) Network. Notably, 45 ALA-affiliated researchers presented at this year’s ATS conference—a record number reflecting the Association’s growing influence in advancing respiratory science.

Wimmer touched on the importance of cross-organizational collaboration, highlighting recent meetings with leadership from ATS and the American College of Chest Physicians. As the respiratory field faces threats such as proposed National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) budget cuts and potential rollbacks to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air quality regulations, Wimmer stressed the need for a unified voice across scientific, clinical, and advocacy communities.

In the second half of the episode, Polverino was asked to discuss emerging topics in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) research and care presented at the ATS meeting. Polverino identified several key areas of interest among the pulmonary research community, noting an ongoing debate in the COPD field around diagnostic criteria, specifically whether airflow obstruction should remain the cornerstone of diagnosis.

Many investigators are now calling for broader inclusion criteria that account for symptomatic patients without spirometric evidence of obstruction, based on radiologic or biomarker findings. This could expand the definition of COPD and better capture individuals with early or atypical disease.

Polverino also discussed the growing focus on type 2 inflammation as a treatable trait in COPD. With recent positive results from different trials, there is increasing momentum to identify patient subgroups—particularly those with blood eosinophilia—who may benefit from targeted biologic therapies. However, Polverino cautioned that this remains only one component of a heterogeneous disease and more comprehensive approaches are needed.

Lungcast is a monthly respiratory news podcast series hosted by Albert Rizzo, MD, chief medical officer of the ALA, and produced by HCPLive.

Subscribe to Lungcast on Spotify here, or listen to the episode below.