In September 2002, we inaugurated the Emory Center for the Treatment and Study of Interstitial Lung Disease, also known as the Emory ILD Center.  This is a one-of-a-kind enterprise in the Southeastern region of the U.S. that seeks to integrate state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques with the latest therapeutic options for the mutidisciplinary care of patients with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD).  There are thousands of new cases of ILD diagnosed in this country each year.  With over 120 distinct types of ILD, many of them complex, it is no wonder that we have not seen many advances in the treatment of these diseases.  The ILD Center was created to meet the challenge of understanding and developing better treatments for Interstitial Lung Disease.

The ILD Center includes a clinical component at The Emory Clinic.  This component will provide a multidisplinary approach to the diagnosis and management of patients with ILD.  Under the guidance of its Clinical Director, Dr. Rafael L. Perez, a major thrust of the ILD Center will be the recruitment of patients for much needed clinical trials designed to identify effective treatments for ILD.  Among other endeavors, the ILD Center is currently involved in studies designed to investigate the potential benefits of certain substances in preventing lung scarring in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, a serious ILD with no known effective medical therapy. 

Another important objective of the ILD Center is the early identification of patients for lung transplantation.  Until new therapies are identified, lung transplantation is the only option for survival for many patients with ILD.  To this end, the ILD Center has partnered with The McKelvey Lung Transplantation Center at Emory.  Under the directorship of Dr. Clinton Lawrence, the McKelvey Lung Transplantation Center has committed resources to the ILD Center that will be used to support clinical and basic science investigations in lung transplantation.

I am extremely excited about this new enterprise at Emory.  It is my expectation that the ILD Center will develop into a world-class operation.  Most importantly, I am proud of the fact that patients with ILD have a center where they can receive the best care by the best healthcare team that I know. 

Jesse Roman, MD
Division Director
Emory University Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Allergy Medicine