Meet the 2024 Winner: Eric D. Austin, MD, MSCI
Eric is pediatric pulmonary medicine and pulmonary hypertension (PH) specialist, physician-scientist and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Upon completion of medical school at Emory University, he trained as a resident and chief resident at the University of Colorado, after which time he came to Vanderbilt for pediatric pulmonary medicine fellowship. He joined the faculty at Vanderbilt in 2008, and in 2012 became Director of the Vanderbilt Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) Clinical and Research Program. Under his leadership, the Pediatric PH Program is a Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension Network (PPHNet) Center as well as an accredited pediatric center of excellence in the national Pulmonary Hypertension Care Centers (PHCC) Program.
His research focuses upon inherent and extrinsic features of risk of, and resilience to, pulmonary hypertension in children and adults. With collaborators, he explores risk and resilience with clinical trial and observational research studies, incorporating genetic, genomic, and other biochemical features. Current NIH-funded projects including a clinical trial of sex hormone modification in adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a clinical trial of behavior modification of exercise in adolescents with PAH, an observational cohort study of individuals at risk of heritable PAH, and a collaborative observational cohort study of cardiopulmonary defects among formerly preterm children.
Eric is President-elect of the Society for Pediatric Research and is also President & Chair of the Scientific Leadership Council of the nonprofit foundation, TBX4Life, which promotes international science, clinical care, and advocacy for individuals impacted by genetic risk of pulmonary hypertension and other features of TBX4 Syndrome. Driven by a passion for training and education in patient-oriented research, since 2017, Dr. Austin has directed the Vanderbilt Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (MSCI) Program. He is a proud active member of ATS, including the Assemblies on Pediatrics and Pulmonary Circulation.
Description:
This award is given to a mid-career candidate who is recognized for achievements in research, mentorship, clinical care, education, advocacy, or scholarship. Individuals should be known for their contributions to the field of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine. Candidates in Pediatric Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Neonatal Medicine will be considered.
Eligibility:
- The nominee must be a member of the ATS.
- Nominees must be at the Associate professor level or within <5 years of full Professor, and within 10-20 years from their first academic appointment.
- Active contributions to the ATS and the Pediatrics Assembly in the form of Committee Chairmanships will be viewed favorably.
- MD and Ph.D. applicants will be accepted.
View Previous Award Recipients
2023- Lisa R. Young, MD, ATSF
2022- Denise Al Alam, PhD, MD
