About us

The Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Division excels at providing innovative clinical care and access to exceptional clinical programs. We are committed to training and molding the future leaders in pulmonary and critical care medicine while advancing the field through excellence in basic, translational, clinical, and health services research. Unique to our Division is the breadth, depth, balance, and integration of our clinical, research and teaching missions.

Jason D. Christie, MD, MS
Chief, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care
Robert M. Kotloff/Nancy P. Blumenthal Professor for Advanced Lung Disease
Professor of Epidemiology in Biostatistics and Epidemiology

About Pulmonology, Allergy and Critical Care

The Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care (PACC) at Penn Medicine provides comprehensive care for adults with a wide range of disorders. Our physicians apply the latest scientific and medical advances for treatment and conduct ongoing research to develop new strategies for the prevention, detection and treatment of respiratory and allergic diseases as well as critical illness. The PACC Division has a strong commitment to training the next generation of specialists to be outstanding clinicians, researchers and educators.

Penn Medicine's Paul F. Harron Jr. Lung Center offers powerful, comprehensive care for lung disease. With specialists in pulmonary and critical care medicine, thoracic surgery, lung pathology, and chest radiology all under one roof, patients have immediate access to the most innovative approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

Thanks to a generous gift from the family of Paul F. Harron, Jr., the Lung Center is now expanding its research programs in translational medicine, epidemiology, and basic science — making Penn Medicine the Mid-Atlantic region's leader in fighting lung cancer and disease.

World-class patient care and research

• Research has shown that for many lung diseases the best diagnosis is made when the pulmonologist, thoracic surgeon, radiologist and pathologist work together in the same practice location to review symptoms and test results. Penn Medicine's state-of-the-art imaging and conference center facilitates onsite consultation between these collaborating specialists to make the most accurate diagnosis for patients.
• Penn Medicine's Thoracic Surgery Program is one of the largest and most active programs on the East Coast.
• Penn thoracic surgeons work in close partnership with the cancer specialists at the Abramson Cancer Center to ensure that patients have integrated access to all cancer services and treatments in one convenient location.
• Since the inception of the lung transplant program in 1991, Penn has changed the lives of nearly 750 lung transplant recipients and their loved ones. As one of the country's 10 most experienced centers, Penn Transplant Institute has achieved national and international recognition for contributions to the field of pulmonary transplantation.
• Specialized programs for patients with COPD, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary vascular diseases interstitial lung diseases, bronchiectasis and lung infections with non tuberculous mycobacteria ensure patients with access to experts in rare as well as common lung diseases.
• Penn continues to be on the cutting edge of designing novel treatments for lung cancer, mesothelioma and pleural-related disorders.
• Lung cancer researchers at Penn's Abramson Cancer Center are leaders in an international effort to revolutionize the prevention and management of lung cancer though the creation of the first international lung cancer registry. The registry's aim is to deepen the understanding of lung cancer at its earliest, most treatable stages.
• Penn researchers have developed a treatment for mesothelioma based on work in the laboratory and continue to test its effectiveness through a National Cancer Institute grant.
• Penn is a major center for clinical trials in lung diseases, providing access to some of the newest and best therapies for patients.
• Penn physicians are well represented in the latest edition of America's Top Doctors and are listed among the region's best in Philadelphia Magazine's Top Docs™ issue.

Expert patient care at the Harron Lung Center

The most advanced diagnostics available. The highest caliber of physicians, nurses and therapists. The comfort of thoughtful, compassionate care. When you're facing a lung condition, you deserve nothing less. From evaluation through treatment and rehabilitation, the Harron Lung Center offers comprehensive medical care focused on you and your unique needs.

What you can expect at the Harron Lung Center:

• The most advanced and comprehensive lung services in the region.
• A uniquely collaborative staff of pulmonologists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, radiologists, pathologists, specially trained nurses, technologists and rehabilitation therapists.
• A team with a commitment to research and excellence in lung care that has won national recognition.
• A nationally recognized lung transplant program with one of the most experienced teams in the nation. Over the past five years, Penn has performed more than double the number of lung transplants than any transplant program in the Philadelphia region.
• A philosophy of care that places your needs above all else. The Harron Lung Center staff create a supportive environment for you. Because they understand what it's like to be on your side of the table, they engage and listen. The Harron Lung Center team tailors recommendations and care plans to your individual needs.