Tuesday Keynote Explains How to Leverage Artificial Intelligence to Augment Professional Education

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming health care delivery and medical education — its integration demands both enthusiasm and caution. In Tuesday's final Keynote Series presentation of the ATS 2026 International Conference, Laurah Turner, PhD, associate dean for AI and Educational Informatics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, provided a framework for understanding how AI can augment, rather than replace, physician expertise.

Plenary Speaker Chronicles Her Remarkable Journey and the Redemptive Power of Hope

Rana L. Awdish, MD, MS, author of the bestselling medical memoir, In Shock: My Journey from Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope, shared her remarkable story during Tuesday’s Plenary Session at the ATS International Conference. After a life-threatening rupture in her liver, Dr. Awdish underwent an arduous, transformative journey to recovery that reframed her perspective on her own body and what it means to be a physician.

President’s Symposium Traces History, Plots Future of PAH Therapeutic Pathways

Over the past 40 years, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) has been transformed into a treatable chronic condition thanks to advances in vascular biology, such as the identification of prostacyclin deficiency, endothelin overexpression, impaired nitric oxide signaling, and dysregulated activin signaling. The President’s Symposium on Monday offered expert-driven insights into the history behind PAH therapeutic pathways and the future of the field.

Recognition Awards for Scientific Accomplishments Honors Four Trailblazing Investigators

The recipients of the Recognition Awards for Scientific Accomplishments were honored on Monday afternoon at ATS 2026 Orlando. The four honorees shared inspiring accounts of their careers and the seminal contributions that advanced their field’s fundamental understanding of lung pathophysiology and pulmonary clinical care.

Proposal for Restoring Communication and Agency to ICU Patients Wins 2026 BEAR Cage Competition

Emily Mitchell, MD, was named the winner of the 12th Annual BEAR Cage Competition on Monday at the ATS 2026 International Conference. Her pitch, “Breaking the Silence: Eye-Tracking for Restoring Patient Agency and Communication in the ICU,” featured an innovative concept to restore communication for ICU-intubated patients.

Early Career Programs Help Next Generation Navigate Respiratory Science, Skills, and Scenarios

More than 500 participants prepared for the next steps in their respiratory medicine journeys during the pre-conference Early Career Programs in Orlando. The programs featured lectures and discussions on professionally relevant science, hands-on skills training, and networking opportunities with ATS community members.

Shape the Future of Respiratory Medicine at ATS 2027 New Orleans

As ATS 2026 Orlando concludes and planning begins for ATS 2027 in New Orleans, the Society invites the ATS community to help shape the scientific program by submitting session proposals. Submissions are due by Wednesday, June 24.

Keynote Speaker Explains Why the Supreme Court Now Matters to Everyday Clinical Practice

For many physicians, the U.S. Supreme Court has traditionally felt distant — relevant perhaps to national policy debates, but rarely to day-to-day clinical work. That distance is rapidly shrinking. Stephen Vladeck, JD, a legal scholar and Georgetown Law professor, illustrated how a series of structural and doctrinal shifts has fundamentally changed the way Supreme Court decisions influence health care delivery, regulation, and patient care during Monday's Keynote Series presentation.

Investigators Debut Data from Breaking Clinical Trials in Pulmonary Medicine

Researchers shared results from four impactful clinical trials for the first time during “Breaking News: Clinical Trial Results in Pulmonary Medicine” on Sunday at ATS 2026 Orlando. The studies offered insights into pulmonary arterial hypertension, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, obstructive sleep apnea, and more.

Women’s Forum Panel Highlights Accomplishments and Challenges for Women in Medicine

On Monday, the ATS celebrated the incredible impact of women in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at this year’s Women’s Forum. This year’s forum was led by a panel of five leaders in their respective fields, who offered advice for women across all career stages.

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