Meet the 2026 Awardee: Atsushi Suzuki MD, PhD, ATSF
Atsushi Suzuki, M.D., Ph.D., ATSF is a Research Associate in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. As a physician-scientist, Dr. Suzuki specializes in pulmonary fibrosis and other lung diseases, with broad expertise spanning clinical, translational, and basic research. While his early career was rooted in clinical investigation, his focus has evolved toward lung biology and the development of new therapies. He earned his Ph.D. from Nagoya University, where he identified novel anti-fibrotic molecules targeting lung fibroblasts. Under the mentorship of Drs. G.R. Scott Budinger and Alexander Misharin, his current research investigates the mechanisms governing the development and phenotypic maintenance of diverse macrophage populations. To advance the discovery of effective treatments, he leverages high-resolution multi-omics approaches, lineage tracing, animal models of pulmonary fibrosis, and innovative drug delivery technologies.
Description
Jo Rae Wright, PhD and former ATS President, focused her career in two main areas: the advancement of science and mentoring the succeeding generation of scientists. Early in 2012, Dr. Wright lost her courageous fight against breast cancer. In remembrance of her illustrious career, the Assembly on RCMB established the Early Investigator Award in honor of Dr. Jo Rae Wright.
Goal: Identify the "rising stars" of RCMB and encourage their scientific careers
Awardees are chosen strictly from submitted abstracts.
Eligibility
- The submitting abstract author must meet criteria for Early Investigator (designated by check box on abstract submission)
- The submitting abstract author must be an ATS member at the time of receiving the award.
- The submitting abstract author must be a member of RCMB assembly. Priority will be given to primary RCMB members
- The submitting abstract author must attend the ATS International Conference
- The submitting abstract author cannot receive any other Abstract Scholarship Award within the ATS