Welcome!
We’re thrilled to welcome you to the world’s largest gathering dedicated to pulmonary fibrosis. Whether this is your first Summit or you’ve joined us before, we’re so grateful to have you here with us in the vibrant city of Chicago this fall. This event brings together patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and advocates from across the country—and beyond—to learn, connect, and inspire one another. Your presence here helps drive our shared mission forward, and we can’t wait to spend the next few days together.
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The Program
You are welcome to attend any session you’d like, unless it’s noted as a closed session. If you’re not sure what to attend, we’ve made color-coded reccommendations on each session. Use the legend below to help you plan your Summit experience!
Patients
Caregivers
Lung
transplant recipient Healthcare professionals & researchers Lost a loved one Exhibit Hall Hours
Visit the Exhibit Hall to meet with industry representatives, medical centers, and patient advocacy organizations.
Thursday, November 13: 12:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Friday, November 14: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 15: 7:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Thursday sessions
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
ILD in Practice: An Immersive Day for Community Pulmonologists and Fellows
Earn CME, CE, and MOC credit at PFF Summit! This is a closed session designed for healthcare providers only. A separate registration is required in order to attend.
Register and view the program here!
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Nurse and Allied Health Network (NAHN)
EARN CE credit at PFF Summit! This is a closed session designed for healthcare providers only. A separate registration is required in order to attend. Register and view the program here!
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Welcome to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation and pulmonary fibrosis 101
Session Chair: Tejaswini Kulkarni, MD, MPH
Speakers: Scott Staszak; Amy Hajari Case, MD; Carla Copeland, MD
• Who we are: An introduction to the PFF
• Pulmonary fibrosis 101: A beginner’s guide
• Alphabet soup: Understanding ILD terminology and abbreviations
For information on all of the PFF’s resources, please visit the Resources Desk located on the promenade on the main conference level.
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Driving research and improving care: The PFF Registry and Care Center
Network
Session Chair: Hyun Kim, MD
Speakers: Kevin Flaherty, MD, MS; Jessica Shore, PhD, RN; Deji Adegunsoye, MD, PhD
• PFF Registry: How patients, caregivers, family, and lung transplant recipients can all participate in research
• Care Center Network: How healthcare providers and researchers work together to improve your care.
• PFF Scholars: How the PFF is supporting the future of PF research
Prefer a hard-copy of this program? Printed program books will be available for all attendees at the conference.
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
The SILVER Series: As the PFF celebrates 25 years, learn more about your journey with PF
Session Chair: Lori Flint, BSN, RN
Speakers: Lori Reed, NP-C; Jenny Williams, PA; Nicole Davis, BSN, MPH, CCTC
• S - Symptoms and their management
• I – Interventions and treatments
• L – Life expectancy
• V – Vaccines and preventative care
• E – Energy and exercise
• R – Reliable resources: The dos and don’ts in navigating information and resources
Welcome Reception and Poster
Presentation
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Kick off the Summit in style at our Welcome Reception & Poster Presentation where science, community, and conversation come together! Enjoy hearty hors d’oeurves and cocktails as you mingle with friends and colleagues and connect with some of the brightest minds in PF research.
The exhibit hall will be lined with cutting-edge scientific posters, each staffed by the researcher who helped to create it. This is your chance to walk right up, ask questions, and hear the science explained directly from the experts themselves — no lectures, no barriers, just open conversation.
As the evening unfolds, we’ll celebrate discovery with the Poster Awards Ceremony. Ten outstanding posters will receive special recognition—and the winning poster’s researcher will present their work in a dedicated conference session on Saturday. It’s more than an opening reception. It’s your front-row seat to the future of PF research, paired with a warm welcome to the PF community.
Come curious, leave inspired.
Friday sessions
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Plenary Session
25 Years in Clinical Trials: Celebrating achievements, key learnings, and advancing care
Session Chairs: Deji Adegunsoye, MD, PhD; Hyun Kim, MD
Keynote speaker: Karen Mancera-Cuevas, DrPH, MS, MPH, CHES
Speakers: Ilene Hollin, PhD, MPH; Donna Dinkin, DrPh, MPH
• Welcome! Daily remarks and announcements
• KEYNOTE: Beyond representation: Building equitable clinical trials for all populations
• A patient-centered approach: The critical importance of endpoints
• The other side of the protocol: A patient’s clinical trial experience
• From setbacks to success: Learning from clinical trial failures and the road ahead
• Live Panel Discussion and Audience Q & A
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tools for monitoring your PF: The role of imaging, lung function tests, and more
Session Chair: TBD
Speakers: Aahd Kubbara, MD and Tadashi Allen, MD; Renee Bergtold, MSc, RRT-RPFT
• Making sense of your high-resolution CT (HRCT)
• Interpreting the numbers: Understanding pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and their results
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Genetics and genetic testing: A new standard of care
Session Chair: Joyce Lee, MD, MS and Chad Newton, MD
Speakers: Chad Newton, MD; Jeremy Katzen, MD; Janet Talbert, MS, CGC, LGC
• The cutting edge of precision medicine in ILD: What’s hot, what’s new
• Exploring the evidence: Genetic testing in ILD – friend or foe?
• Navigating the conversation: How to counsel patients during the genetic testing process
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Research in the pipeline: What might the next 25 years hold?
Session Chair: Murali Ramaswamy, MD
Speakers: Imre Noth, MD; Cathryn Lee, MD
• The next chapter: Emerging research in ILD
• Decoding disease: The role of biomarkers in ILD and pulmonary fibrosis
• Your role in discovery: What to know about clinical trial participation
Lunch is on us and will be provided from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Differentiating PPF from IPF: Lessons learned from the last 25 years and what we hope to learn in the next quarter century
Session Chair: Justin Oldham, MD, MS
Speakers: Kevin Flaherty, MD, MS; Justin Oldham, MD, MS; John Kim, MD, MS
• From IPF to PPF: The evolution of how we define and distinguish IPF from PPF
◊ How we began
◊ Where we are now
◊ What we need to know for the future of fibrosis care
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
In it together: Conversations and resources for caregivers, advocates, and family
Session Chair: Lanier O’Hare, PhD, CRNP
Speakers: Bridget Graney, MD; Julie Rossignol; Rick Tidwell; Brandi Ellis
• The evolution of caregiving: Key advancements over the last 25 years
◊ Community resources to help care for your loved one: Respite care, Meals on Wheels, and more
◊ Social acceptance of counseling and support groups
◊ Technological advancements: smartphones and apps
• Perspectives from the caregivers: Three personal stories of dedication and compassion
• Conversations and connections: Audience interactive discussion about caregiving facilitated by the panel
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Breathe easy: Using supplemental oxygen
Session Chair: Rebecca Smith, AAS, RCP-RRT, RPFT, AE-C
Speakers: Susan Jacobs, MS, RN; Kara Kotyuk, RRT
• Understanding oxygen therapy: How to get the oxygen you need
• Oxygen equipment and you: Guidelines for safe usage and maintenance
• Breathe on the go: Portable oxygen solutions for travel by car and air
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
From paper to practice: Adapting guidelines to clinical practice
Session Chair: Anthony J. Esposito, MD
Speakers: Jonathan Chung, MD; Anna Podolanczuk, MD, MS
• Evidence in action: Translating updated treatment guidelines to patient care
◊ The Fleischner Society guidelines on quantitative CT
◊ A multi-disciplinary approach: Guidelines for treating connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) / systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs)
◊ Updated incidental findings: The ATS (American Thoracic Society) guidelines on ILA (interstitial lung abnormalities)
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Transplant decision: Navigating the crossroads
Session Chair: Dan Dilling, MD
Speakers: Anil Trindade, MD; Karen Smoot; Anita Clos
• To transplant or not: Understanding the choices and challenges
◊ When ineligibility or the decision not to pursue is the path
◊ What to expect if you decide to move forward with a lung transplant
• Lung transplant patient panel: Insights and recommendations for before, during, and after 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Make the most of your afternoon break with a visit to the Exhibit Hall with a snack in hand!
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Advancing care through clinical trials: Because every patient matters
Session Chair: Hyun Kim, MD
Speakers: Mark Hamblin, MD; Joyce Lee, MD, MS; Alison DeDent, MD
• Expanding access: How to overcome enrollment barriers
• Reusing trial data: How a second look at data can drive breakthroughs in medicine
• Remote, rural, and ready: Designing clinical trials that reach every community
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Exploring types of ILD: IPF, connective tissue disease-related ILD, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, unclassifiable ILD, and more
Session Chair: Patricia Sime, MD
Speakers: Farah Nadhani-Lovely, MD; Scott Matson, MD
• The spectrum of ILD: Understanding the different types
• Journey to the right diagnosis
• Comparing ILDs: Key similarities and differences across types
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Navigating ILD across the lifespan: Strategies for every stage
Session Chair: Steve Jones
Speakers: Kathy Lindell, PhD, RN; Bridget Collins, MD; Kristin B. Highland, MD
• Discussing your diagnosis with loved ones: Guidance for all generations
• Living with ILD: Strategies for balancing home, work, and health
• Beyond the diagnosis: Relationships and family planning
• Representation matters: Engaging diverse representation in ILD research
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
The power of many: Leveraging multiomics for next-gen personalized medicine
Session Chair: TBD
Speakers: Sonye Danoff, MD, PhD; Justin Oldham, MD, MS; Jon Kropski, MD; Steve Humphries, PhD
• From patients to people: The rise of personomics in personalized healthcare
• The power of proteins: Driving precision medicine with proteomic insight
• Clinicalomics uncovered: Making sense of multidimensional patient data
• The image speaks: Harnessing radiomics for precision diagnostics
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Beyond the medicine cabinet
for those living with ILD and lung transplant recipients
Session Chair: Janell Reichuber, MSN, RN
Speakers: Emilie Klemptner, MS, RD; Rebecca Smith, AAS, RCP-RRT, RPFT, AE-C; Lori Flint, BSN, RN
• Nutrition matters: Tips for managing medication side effects, GERD, and weight
• Fitness: The importance of pulmonary rehab and other forms of exercise
• Finding support: Emotional wellness and resources
Need a break or a battery boost?
The Relaxation Room has you covered
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Beyond the Medicine Cabinet:
Non-pharmacological management of ILD and what to know to help your patients
Session Chair: Tim Whelan, MD
Speakers: Krishna Thavarajah, MD, MS; Rachel Potter, LCSW
• Fueling fragile lungs: The critical role of nutrition in advanced lung disease
• Pulmonary rehab in practice: Evidence-based gains in function and quality of life
• Mental health matters: Strategies for management and care
• Optimizing clinical documentation to navigate insurance authorization challenges
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Understanding grief: Navigating life transitions and coping with loss
Session Chair: TBD
Speakers: Anna Gersten, MD
• Finding support: Exploring social support and counseling resources for you and your loved one
• Honoring yourself, your peers, and your loved ones
Tip: Explore the Saturday session lineup beforehand to decide which sessions interest you most
Dine and Delight Networking Night
6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Before you head out to explore Chicago’s nightlife scene, join your PFF Summit community for an evening designed just for you. The Dine & Delight Networking Night is your chance to relax, connect, and celebrate with fellow attendees in a warm, welcoming setting. The evening is hosted by Broadway star and PFF Board member, Julie Halston!
Enjoy a complimentary dinner featuring a variety of flavors, paired with live entertainment that sets the perfect tone for conversation. The evening brings together speakers, guests, and members of the PF community to share stories, laughter, and inspiration.
This isn’t just a meal; it’s a moment. A chance to build meaningful connections, continue important conversations, and create memories with people who understand the journey. Whether you’re here to network, to unwind, or to simply enjoy the company, Dine & Delight offers the perfect close to your conference day.
Saturday sessions
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Plenary Session
HOPE: Emerging from the past and heading into the future
Session Chair: Mary Strek, MD
Keynote speaker: James Fraser, PhD
Speakers: Nick Banovich, PhD; Susan Jacobs, MS, RN; Harold R. Collard, MD, MS; Jessica Shore, PhD, RN; Kevin Flaherty, MD, MS
• Welcome! Daily remarks and announcements
• KEYNOTE: Unlocking the future: Use of artificial intelligence (AI) to identify preclinical therapeutic targets
• From genes to proteins: How molecular diagnostics is shaping the future of medicine
• Legislative advocacy in a changing climate: Challenges, progress, and hope for the future
• PFF Registry: Past lessons, present impact, future promise
• Live panel discussion and Q&A
10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Take a break! Before your next session, refuel with coffee and light refreshments during the break
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Exposed! Understanding the hidden triggers and management of exposure-related ILDs
Session Chair: Jen Wescoe
Speakers: Bhavika Kaul, MD, MAS; Mary Porteous, MD, MSCE; Cathryn Lee, MD
• What are exposure-related ILDs? Causes and key consideration
• Resources for Veterans: What is out there and how to obtain
• Am I at risk? How to recognize if you have exposurerelated ILD and taking steps to limit further exposure 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
The innovators’ journey: Past breakthroughs and future visions
Session Chairs: John Sheridan, PhD; Christian Gomez, PhD
Speakers: Sachin Chaudhury, MD; Toby Maher, MD, PhD; Fernando Martinez, MD, MS
• Science in motion: Innovations in symptom management in ILD
• Innovations in advanced therapeutics and what lies ahead
• Transforming ILD care: Innovations in precision medicine and the road ahead
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Managing respiratory illness when it hits
Session Chair: Xiaoping Wu, MD
Speakers: Dominic Paula, RN; Jamie Lederer, MSN, CRNP; Shweta Sood, MD, MS
• Navigating ailments: Bronchitis, COVID, pneumonia, and influenza in the setting of ILD
• Exacerbations or flares: When ILD rapidly deteriorates
• Dealing with illnesses and rejection: For lung transplant recipients
• Treatment and expectations: What to expect during recovery
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Research in the pipeline: Paving the way for tomorrow’s breakthroughs
Session Chair: Mitch Olman, MD
Speakers: Ksenija Bernau, PhD; Anna Gersten, MD; Peter Schafer, PhD; Poster presentation winner
• Shaping the future: PFF Scholars making an impact
• Collaborative breakthroughs: The latest updates from the PROLIFIC Research Consortium
• Spotlight on Excellence: Presenting the winning poster’s research
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Is it in your DNA? Understanding genetics and familial pulmonary fibrosis
Session Chair: Joyce Lee, MD, MS
Speakers: Chad Newton, MD; Bess Flashner, MD
• Overview of familial pulmonary fibrosis (FPF)
• The role of genetic testing in those with FPF
• The role of testing and screening in family members
• What does your family need or want to know 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Comprehensive medical care:
Managing common medical conditions with PF
Session Chair: Harold R. Collard, MD, MS
Speakers: Lori Reed, NP-C; Paul Wolters, MD; Margaret Salisbury, MD
• Understanding symptoms: Identifying and managing them effectively
• The evaluation process: Why it matters and how it guides treatment
• Medical conditions in focus:
◊ Pulmonary hypertension (PH)
◊ Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
◊ Sleep apnea (OSA)
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
From trainee to expert: Navigating the path to becoming a leader in ILD care or research
Session Chair: Deji Adegunsoye, MD, PhD
Speakers: Mary Strek, MD; Patricia Sime, MD; Christian Gomez, PhD
Panelists: Deji Adegunsoye, MD, PhD; Marilyn Glassberg, MD; Rade Tomic, MD
• Building a successful clinical career in ILD: Challenges, opportunities, and strategies
• Navigating your research journey in ILD: Key strategies for career growth and impact
• The NIH / NHLBI Early-Career Ecosystem: Funding Pathways and Professional Development Opportunities
• Real cases, real-time wisdom: Fellows and residents present challenging cases to a panel of experts
Need a break or a battery boost?
The Relaxation Room has you covered
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
The Practicalities of PF and serious illness: Paperwork, estate planning, insurance, and more
Session Chair: Devi Kumar-Nambiar, JD, MBA
Speakers: Kathryn Casey
• What’s next? Your toolkit for how to navigate paperwork: advance directives, wills and trusts, bills, assets, death certificates, and more
• Securing what matters: Estate planning for you and your loved ones
• Understanding changes to Medicare
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Intensive care, fragile lungs: Managing ILD in the ICU
Session Chair: Ross Summer, MD
Speakers: Ross Summer, MD; Tejaswini Kulkarni, MD, MPH; Corey Kershaw, MD; Rade Tomic, MD
• When time matters most: Managing rapidly progressing ILD in the ICU
• Crisis in the lungs: Acute exacerbations in IPF
• From viral storm to fibrosis: Navigating COVID-related ARDS and ILD
• Immediate post-transplant care: Essentials from surgery to ICU
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Stronger together: Benefits of a comprehensive support system
Session Chair: Kathleen O. Lindell, PhD, RN
Speakers: Lanier O’Hare, PhD, CRNP; Kandi Schmidt, PhD, ABPP; Kathryn Fenwick, DNP; Anna Gersten, MD
• Setting up your personal care team: What can your support system do to help, even from afar
• Anxiety and depression: How to identify and manage symptoms
• Palliative and hospice care: Understanding the differences
• Getting support: How to find the support that is right for you
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
PF medications explained: What to expect and making sense of the benefits and risks
Session Chair: TBD
Speakers: Tim Clifford, PharmD; David Perlman, MD; Gautam George, MD
• Your medications: what to expect
• Antifibrotic treatments: Weighing the options
• Managing connective tissue disease-related ILD (CTD-ILD) with medications
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Session Chair: Brad Bemiss, MD, MSCR
Speakers: Tadashi Allen, MD; Iazsmin Bauer-Ventura, MD, MSc; Viju Ananthanarayanan, MBBS, MD; Yet Khor, MBBS, PhD
• Complex cases, collaborative minds: A study of interesting cases
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Join us! Participate in volunteer efforts at the PFF through legislative advocacy, Hill Day, fundraising, and support groups
Session Chair: Wayne Pan, MD, PhD, MBA
Speakers: Kate Gates; Bill Schmidt; Jamie Hillner; Seth Klein; Dionn Tunis
• Your voice matters: Legislative advocacy and PFF Hill Day
• Starting a support group that works
• Getting involved! Participating in the PFF Walk and other events
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Life after transplant: Navigating the journey of renewal
Session Chair: Renea Jablonski, MD
Speakers: Fred McLafferty, MD; Ashley Johnson Whiting, CRNP; Michael Gordon
Living with immunosuppression: Long-term effects and management
• What comes next? Understanding the realities and next steps
◊ Precautions, medication management (transplant coordinator)
◊ What do I do now for medical care?
◊ What do I do now in my every day life?
A
special thank you
to our Summit Program Organizing Committee!
Co-Chairs
Ayodeji Adegunsoye, MD
Hyun Kim, MD
Karen Smoot
Heather Bachert, MSN, ANP BC
Brad Bemiss, MD
Zoe D. Bubany, MBA
Amy Case, MD
Anita Clos
Sonye Danoff, MD, PhD
Alison DeDent, MD
Laura Devitt
Jolene Fisher, MD
Kevin Flaherty, MD
Lori Flint, RN, BSN
Kate Gates
Dot Ivey
Heather Kagel
Yet Khor, PhD
Seth Klein
Aahd Kubbara, MD
Teja Kulkarni, MD
Jamie Lederer, MSN, CRNP
Joyce Lee, MD
Kathy Lindell, PhD, RN
Chad Newton, MD
Justin Oldham, MD
Janell Reichuber, APRN
Julie Rossignol
Mary Beth Scholand, MD
Jessica Shore, PhD, RN
Rebecca Smith, AAS RCPRRT,RPFT, AE-C
Matt Taylor, DO
Iaszmin Ventura, MD
Ready to register for PFF Summit? Register now!
