Lungs & Chest

St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton researchers studying the lungs and chest build upon a rich legacy of exploration into treatment and prevention of lung and chest-related ailments.

The Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health, founded in 1978, has played an instrumental role in changing the practice of respiratory health care on a global level by developing the AeroChamber® inhaler as well as the first Canadian guidelines for the treatment of asthma.

Currently, the Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health continues with its aim to better understand and treat respiratory illness – conducting world-class scientific investigations into asthma, allergies, and complex airway diseases.

Researchers at St. Joe’s also strive to improve surgical processes for chest-related interventions. In addition to a strong collaboration with the LDAP and EDAP programs, thoracic surgeons are conducting research into discovering optimal ways of using surgical robotics to improve safety, outcomes, and recovery time for chest surgeries.

This work is supported by the Boris Family Centre for Robotic Surgery – the first dedicated facility in the greater Hamilton area to use cutting-edge, minimally invasive robotic technology to speed healing in patients and push the boundaries of surgical care.

Our Lungs & Chest researchers are affiliated with several departments within McMaster University’s Faculty of Health Sciences, including:

• Department of Medicine
• Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine
• Department of Surgery
• Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI)
• School of Rehabilitation Sciences

Research Pillar Lead:

Dr. Martin Kolb
kolbm@mcmaster.ca

Updates from the Lungs & Chest Research Pillar