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Appointments
- Professor of Medicine
Research Interests
My research has focused on clinical trials in asthma and COPD, comparative effectiveness research in obstructive lung disease, stakeholder engagement in research and implementation studies in asthma treatment. I am particularly pleased of my contributions to science, which include: diagnostic validation of the methacholine challenge test in a prospective multi-center study at 19 centers throughout the United States, evaluation of electronic monitoring system as a novel method of tracking disease activity in obstructive lung disease, evaluation of novel asthma treatment strategies though our multi-center studies, identification of clinical impact of metapneumovirus infection which was previously not known and most recently effectiveness of as-needed inhaled corticosteroid therapy in mild asthma in the primary care setting.
I have had a leading role in the activities of multiple national clinical research networks including Severe Asthma Research Program (NIH), and Precision Interventions for Severe and/or Exacerbation-Prone Asthma (PrecISE) Network. I led the ASIST (Asthma Symptom-based Inhaled Steroid in African American children) study funded by PCORI, which was a community-engaged pragmatic study in asthmatic children working with community pediatricians in Saint Louis. The result of this study is now included in a well-sited international asthma guideline (Global Initiative in Asthma: GINA). My passion also involves patient and stakeholder engagement in research leading the development and implementation of the patient advisory group for the advocacy organizations.
Education and Training
- 1986 – 1992 – Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
- 1992 – 1994 – General Internal Medicine Residency, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
- 1994 – 1998 – Doctor of Medical Science (Ph.D.), Graduate School of Yokohama City University School of Medicine. First department of Internal Medicine, Yokohama, Japan (Graduate studies in Clinical Immunology and DNA vaccine)
- 1998 – 2001 – Internal Medicine Residency, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
- July 2001 – June 2004 – Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship, Washington University School of Medicine/Barnes Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO
- January 2006 – May 2009 – Master of Public Health (MPH), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore MD
- 2004 – present – Staff, Pulmonary Service, John Cochran VA Medical Center, St. Louis, MO
- 2004 – 2007 – Instructor in Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
- 2007 – 2015 – Assistant Professor in Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
- 2015 – 2022 – Associate Professor in Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
- 2022 – Present – Professor in Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Honors and Awards
- 1997 Noguchi Medical Research Institute Scholarship for sub-internship at Kuakini Medical Center, Honolulu, HI
- 2000 – 2001 – Excellence in Nephrology; Division of Nephrology, John A Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii