Meet the 2026 Awardee: Michael Falvo, PhD
Michael Falvo, PhD, is a clinical exercise physiologist and research health scientist at the VA New Jersey Health Care System, serving as co-director of the VA Airborne Hazards and Burn Pits Center of Excellence and Associate Professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Falvo is dedicated to improving respiratory health in Veterans who have faced airborne hazards, burn pits, and deployment-related exposures. He leads multidisciplinary teams integrating advanced diagnostics, clinical care, and translational research to address complex respiratory symptoms in post-9/11 veterans.
His research has helped define deployment-related respiratory disease phenotypes—including asthma, airway hyperresponsiveness, and constrictive bronchiolitis—with a focus on subtle pulmonary function abnormalities and small airway dysfunction. Dr. Falvo has led federally funded projects utilizing advanced pulmonary diagnostics and physiological assessments to clarify mechanisms of exertional dyspnea after military exposures, influencing national guidelines and clinical networks for post-deployment evaluation.
Dr. Falvo received degrees in Exercise Science from The College of New Jersey and University of Memphis, his PhD from Washington University in St. Louis, and postdoctoral training at the War Related Illness and Injury Study Center. His interests span post-deployment respiratory health, advanced function testing, and unexplained fatigue in chronic multisystem illnesses. He remains deeply committed to mentoring trainees and early-career investigators and to advancing Veteran-centered pulmonary, occupational, and environmental health research that aligns closely with the mission and priorities of thoracic infectious disease and deployment-related lung health.
Description
This award is given to an ATS member with exemplary alignment, commitment, and support of ATS and the Section on Terrorism and Inhalation Disasters (TID) goals of advancement of current research efforts to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology and management of inhalational injuries, severe outbreaks of infectious disease and their impact on respiratory and critical care management, and to maximize disaster preparedness in the areas of research, improving public health, teaching, mentoring, and/or service (may include leadership). Individuals eligible for consideration at the associate professor level (or equivalent), <5 years of full Professor, or within 10-20 years from first faculty/investigator appointment. Nominations of diverse candidates (by gender, race/ethnicity, country, area of focus and primary occupation) are highly encouraged.
Criteria
- Associate professor (or equivalent), <5 years of full professor, or within 10-20 years from first faculty/investigator appointment
- TID Section member at the time of award acceptance (but not required at the time of nomination/consideration)
- Exemplary commitment to ATS and to advancing the goals of the TID Section
- Significant and sustained contributions aligned with the TID Section goals in the areas of research, improving public health, teaching, mentoring, and/or service (including leadership)
- Note: Award nominations may be carried forward for three years at the discretion of the TID Executive Committee.