Thomas L. Petty Aspen Lung Conference
67th Annual Meeting | June 3-6, 2025
67th Annual Meeting | June 3-6, 2025
Exploring the Void: Advances in Parenchymal Destruction in Emphysema
Irina Petrache, M.D., Co-Chair
Eszter K. Vladar, Ph.D., Co-Chair
The Gant Conference Center
Aspen, Colorado
In-person or virtual live streaming format is available.
Registered virtual attendees can access live sessions.
The prevalence of emphysema is increasing due to the aging population, advances in diagnostic tools, and increased exposure to environmental factors that impact pathogenesis. Understanding the effect of these factors on the clinical manifestation of different emphysematous pathologies and pursing novel advances in lung regeneration after parenchymal destruction will have a significant impact on lung health. By highlighting emerging concepts of shared relevance to the fields of lung biology and emphysema and by addressing strategies to improve translation of scientific advances to reduce the burden of lung destruction characteristic of COPD and other rare lung diseases, the 2025 Thomas L. Petty Aspen Lung Conference will promote scientific advances in emphysema biology, injury resolution, and therapeutic intervention, ultimately improving lung health.
With an emphasis on the integration of basic, translational and clinical approaches, the 67th Annual Aspen Lung Conference will focus on a central question: Are current advancements in understanding the mechanisms of lung parenchymal destruction sufficient to develop effective strategies for the early identification and treatment of emphysema and rare lung diseases with a shared phenotype?
To address this central question, the thematic sessions will focus on:
- Understanding the common mechanistic and phenotypic threads of lung parenchymal destruction in emphysema of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and rare lung diseases such as Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) and Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM);
- Exploring the advances in cellular and structural biology associated with emphysema, with emphasis on the epithelial, immune, vascular, and matrix compartments of the lung;
- Considering novel approaches for the diagnosis, phenotyping, and endotyping of early emphysema and disease progression by leveraging multiomic data from large patient cohorts and image-based analyses; and
- Discussing the transformational interventions for treatment of early and established parenchymal destruction including mechanistically driven injury repair strategies and gene-based therapies.
The conference will provide an international forum that brings together leading basic, translational, and clinical researchers to exchange ideas regarding the current state of the field and welcomes trainees across the fields of pulmonary medicine, genetics, cell biology and immunology with the goal of identifying shared interests that will lead to more productive research and ultimately improve lung health.
Finally, the varied scientific themes and therapeutic strategies that emerge during the conference will be reconciled in the Conference Summary presented by Dr. Farrah Kheradmand, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.
Local/Regional/National/International Physicians/Clinicians (adult and pediatric)/Research Physician-Scientists in Pulmonary Sciences, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine/Research Scientists (PhD) in lung injury/Primary Care Physicians/General Medicine Physicians/Public Health.
NOTE: If the number of people wishing to attend the Conference exceeds the capacity of The Gant Conference Center, those with accepted abstracts (and, in the case of junior presenters, their mentors) will be given preference for “in person” attendance, with a remote option for those who are unable to attend “in person” or a combination of remote and in person.
Health and Behavior Guidelines
The Thomas L. Petty Aspen Lung Conference (TLPALC) believes that everyone deserves to be respected and safe whenever participating in the Conference and its activities. In accordance with CDC, NIH and TLPALC guidelines and legal requirements, please carefully review the following terms and conditions and acknowledge your agreement by completing and submitting the Waiver of Liability linked below.
COVID-19
The TLPALC will follow the requirements specified by the Centers for Disease and Prevention to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the Conference and its associated activities.
Though not a requirement, we encourage attendees to be vaccinated and wear a mask when in close proximity to others. Additionally, we urge all attendees to perform a daily COVID-19 self-assessment as defined by the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
Travel information and requirements as required by the CDC can be found at: https://www.cdc.gov/covid/index.html.
Please check back with us regularly as TLPALC may revise safety protocols based on the local public health requirements, current conditions, legal requirements, and recommendations in place at the time of the Conference.
Inappropriate Behavior
The 2025 Aspen Lung Conference is in part funded by a grant from the NIH to National Jewish Health. National Jewish Health (NJH) is committed to providing a safe environment, free of harassment and discrimination. Participants at the TLPALC must comply with NJH’s Workplace Behavior Policy and Code of Conduct. Please review the information provided in the Safety Plan, which describes our non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, as well as how to report any violations of these policies, how to make a complaint, and how any complaints will be resolved.
The 2025 Aspen Lung Conference is in part funded by a grant from the NIH to National Jewish Health. National Jewish Health (NJH) is committed to providing a safe environment, free of harassment and discrimination. Participants in NJH programs and activities (including this event) must comply with NJH’s Workplace Behavior Policy and Code of Conduct. Please review the following information regarding NJH’s non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, as well as how to report any violations of these policies, how to make a complaint, and how any complaints will be resolved.
NJH can provide supportive measures and other resources with or without the filing of a formal complaint by calling the confidential Compliance Hotline, 1-844-369-5635 or reporting a complaint at www.njhealth.ethicspoint.com. In an emergency, please dial 911. Non-emergency reports to security can be made to the NJH Security Office for on-campus incidents (303-398-1776) or to the local police department where the incident occurred.
National Jewish Health Notice of Non-Discrimination, Anti-Harassment and Non-Retaliation
Fair and equitable treatment of all employees, patients, and other persons is critical to fulfilling the mission and goals of NJH. Patients are to be treated without regard to gender, race, color, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, marital status, or national origin. NJH hires, recruits, trains, promotes, assigns, transfers, lays off and terminates employees based on such factors as their own ability, achievement, experience, and conduct without regard to gender, race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, marital status, or national origin. NJH does not discriminate against any individual with a disability with respect to any offer or term or condition of employment. We will make reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities.
Every employee has the right to work in an environment free of unlawful harassment, abusive, threatening or intimidating behavior and discriminatory retaliation. Unlawful employment discrimination and harassment based on gender, race, color, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, marital status, or national origin is unacceptable and, therefore, prohibited. NJH has a zero tolerance policy for unlawful harassment. Degrading, derogatory, humiliating remarks, comments, jokes and slurs are considered inappropriate behavior and are not permitted at NJH.
Unlawful sexual harassment is a violation of NJH policy and prohibited. This prohibition includes unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature which occur when: (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting the individual; or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creates an offensive, intimidating or threatening work environment. Sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or sexual propositions are examples of potentially harassing behavior.
Some examples of harassing behaviors may be:
- Unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors;
- Unwelcome comments or behavior, including but not limited to drawings, written statements, social media posts, or verbal statements, related to an individual’s race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, gender, gender identity, disability, height, marital status, political persuasion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or weight
- Unwelcome teasing, joking, or flirting based on actual or perceived gender identity, gender expression, or sexual identity/orientation.
Any employee or third party who believes he or she has been discriminated against or harassed is encouraged to report the incident(s) to either National Jewish Health’s Human Resource’s Office or the Compliance Office. National Jewish Health will respond promptly, including by offering supportive measures, informing parties about the available complaint and investigation processes, and taking reasonable care to prevent and promptly correct discrimination or harassment.
National Jewish Health is committed to conducting prompt and equitable investigations and will appropriately address violations of policy. Upon completion of an investigation, anyone found to have engaged in acts of harassment, discrimination or retaliation will be promptly disciplined. If circumstances warrant, discipline for employees may include corrective action up to termination.
Questions about National Jewish Health’s non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies may be referred to the National Jewish Health Human Resources Department at (303)-398-1038 or HR@njhealth.org.
Individuals may also notify NIH (https://public.era.nih.gov/shape/public/notificationForm.era or (301) 480-6701) or file a complaint with HHS OCR at the address below about concerns of harassment, including sexual harassment, discrimination, and other forms of inappropriate conduct at NIH-supported conferences.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW Room 509F, HHH Building Washington, D.C. 20201
1-800-368-1019, 800-537-7697 (TDD)
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html
Filing a complaint with National Jewish Health is not required before filing a complaint of discrimination with HHS OCR, and seeking assistance from National Jewish Health in no way prohibits filing complaints with HHS OCR
Exhibit at the Aspen Lung Conference
Meet face-to-face with leading clinicians and translational and basic scientists to exchange ideas related to the future of emphysema research.
Share your latest updates, products, services and equipment pertinent to the field of emphysema.
Build your contacts and relationships with leading medical professionals in the field of emphysema.
For more information contact: Jeanne.Cleary@cuanschutz.edu.
We look forward to your participation in the Thomas L. Petty Aspen Lung Conference, 67th Annual Meeting and to a combination of outstanding science and great fun. We hope that you and your colleagues can join us.
Irina Petrache, M.D., Co-Chair
Eszter K. Vladar, Ph.D., Co-Chair
Save the Date!
Thomas L. Petty Aspen Lung Conference 68th Annual Meeting
Pulmonary Vascular Disease
June 9-12, 2026
Registration for the 67th annual Thomas L. Petty Aspen Lung Conference is open!
Registration is open to all participants, with priority given to individuals who submit research abstracts for presentation. Our strategy not to charge a registration fee for trainees (students and fellows) and Instructor and Assistant Professor faculty was specifically designed to encourage a diverse attendee pool of both types of early-career investigators.
A registration fee of $250 will be introduced in 2025 for established investigators with the rank of Associate Professor and above. The fee will offset the increasing cost of hosting the Conference. The registration fee will be waived for retired attendees who continue to bring wisdom and perspective to the Conference.
Americans with Disabilities Act Statement: Please indicate if you have any need for auxiliary aids or special assistance services.