The 15 awardees will be recognized for their contributions to research, education, and advocacy during the ATS 2026 International Conference.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Professional Recognition: The American Thoracic Society (ATS) has named 15 recipients for the 2026 Respiratory Health Awards, honoring significant contributions to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of lung diseases.
- Conference Presentation: Award winners will be formally honored during the ATS 2026 International Conference in Orlando, Florida, at various events throughout the meeting.
- Diverse Impact: The awards recognize excellence across multiple disciplines, including clinical care, public health equity, research innovation, and mentorship within the respiratory community.
The American Thoracic Society (ATS) announced 15 recipients of its 2026 Respiratory Health Awards, which will be formally issued during the ATS 2026 International Conference in Orlando, Florida.
The awards represent contributions to respiratory health through various means, including research, diagnosis, education, and advocacy, according to the ATS.
Edward Livingston Trudeau Medal The Edward Livingston Trudeau Medal recognizes major contributions to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of lung disease, critical illness, or sleep disorders through leadership in research, education, or clinical care. The 2026 recipients are:
- Charles G Irvin, PhD, ATSF, University of Vermont
- Lynn F Reinke, PhD, ATSF, University of Utah
- Marc Peters-Golden, MD, University of Michigan
Distinguished Achievement Award This award recognizes individuals who have made major contributions that advance the ATS mission through advocacy, training, and mentorship. The awardees are Andrew J Halayko, PhD, University of Manitoba, and Lynn B Gerald, PhD, MSPH, University of Illinois-Chicago.
Public Service and World Lung Health Tyra Bryant-Stephens, MD, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, received the Public Service Award. This honor recognizes contributions to public and population health equity, including improvements in air quality, eradication of tobacco usage, and improvement in the ethical delivery of and access to healthcare.
The World Lung Health Award was given to Payam Nahid, MD, MPH, University of California, San Francisco. The award recognizes contributions to improving world lung health with an emphasis on efforts to eliminate gender, racial, ethnic, or economic health disparities.
Education, Innovation, and Clinical Care Jakob I McSparron, MD, University of Michigan, received the Outstanding Educator Award for excellence in clinical or research education and mentoring in pulmonary, critical care, or sleep medicine.
The Research Innovation and Translation Achievement Award was presented to Kambez H Benam, Dphil, University of Pittsburgh. This award recognizes contributions to the advancement of respiratory research focused on innovations in practice, policy, and healthcare delivery, including drug and device discovery.
Joshua O Benditt, MD, University of Washington, received the Outstanding Clinician Award for substantial contributions to the clinical care of patients with lung disease on a local or national level.
