In 2025, the Temple Lung Center continued to help define the future of pulmonary care: advancing clinical innovation, expanding access, and leading research that is changing how lung disease is diagnosed and treated. From record-breaking transplant volumes to first-in-human COPD procedures, Temple’s multidisciplinary teams worked together to bring life-changing therapies to patients across the region and around the world. Read on to explore this year’s most significant breakthroughs and achievements.

In 2025, Temple completed 179 lung transplants, the highest number ever performed by a center in a single year. Since 1994, our team has completed more than 1,700 lung and heart-lung transplants, establishing Temple Health as a global leader in advanced lung disease care. Led by international leaders like Dr. Yoshiya Toyoda, Temple's transplant team is one of the most active and experienced in the world. Learn more »

The Temple Lung Center became the first U.S. center to perform procedures for two new COPD interventions, representing a new era of minimally invasive emphysema treatment.

• CONVERT II Trial: Led by Dr. Gerard Criner, the procedure targets fissural defects to help more patients qualify for BLVR by eliminating collateral ventilation.
• Apreo BREATHE-3 Study: Evaluates a novel airway scaffold designed to open narrowed airways and release trapped air in patients not eligible for BLVR.

These advances offer new hope for patients who have limited treatment options—representing a new era of minimally invasive emphysema treatment. Learn more »

In its fourth year, the Temple Healthy Chest Initiative (THCI) continued its mission of early detection, screening more than 12,000 patients through LDCT to identify lung and chest diseases, including COPD and lung cancer, at earlier stages, when treatment options are more effective. Learn more »

The Temple Lung Center continued to expand its impact in pulmonary vascular disease (PVD) care and research in 2025. Led by Parth Rali, MD, FCCP, the program deepened collaborations with international PVD experts to advance best practices and accelerate innovation in diagnosing and treating complex vascular lung diseases. This year, Dr. Rali was also elected to the Board of Directors of the national PERT consortium, a recognition of his ongoing leadership in PE care and his contributions to shaping national standards. Learn more »

The Temple Lung Center and the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) celebrated the sold-out 10th Annual GOLD COPD Conference, marking a decade of leadership in advancing COPD research and care. This milestone event brought together international experts to share emerging science, innovative therapies, and best practices that continue to shape the future of COPD management. Planning is already underway for an expanded and enhanced conference to be held on November 5th and 6th, 2026. Pre-register here and be the first to know when registration opens. »