An academic leader in both medicine and diversity, equity, and inclusion will bring his experience to the ATS 2023 International Conference in Washington, DC.

Horace Delisser, MD, associate professor of medicine in the Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Division of the Department of Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, will be the featured speaker at the annual Diversity Forum.

The annual forum focuses on diversity within the fields of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine and research. It is organized by the ATS Membership Committee and will take place 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. ET, Sunday, May 21, in the Potomac Ballroom (Ballroom Level) at the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown. There is a $30 registration fee to attend.

Dr. Delisser is the associate dean for diversity and inclusion at the Perelman School of Medicine, where he leads the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Learner Experience Program in Medical Education, known as IDEAL MEd. He has used this role to implement innovative approaches for promoting a diverse and inclusive medical student community at Penn.

ATS Membership Committee Chair Meshell Johnson, MD, said the forum gives International Conference attendees an opportunity to network across institutions and practices, and to be inspired by the life story and life lessons of a speaker who is a stalwart for equity and a leader in their field. 

“We are excited to hear what Dr. Delisser has to share about his journey, the work he is doing, and the work that we can all do to advance diversity and embrace inclusion in our own spheres,” she said.

Over the past 25 years, Dr. Delisser has focused his research on endothelial cells and their role in angiogenesis and tumor metastasis. He provides research opportunities and mentoring for all levels, from medical students to post-doctoral and post-clinical trainees, with particular attention to individuals from groups underrepresented in medicine. 

Dr. Johnson and ATS Membership Committee Vice Chair Alexandra Noel, PhD, will host the forum.

Scholarships & Fellowships

Underrepresented Trainee Development Scholarships—formerly known as Minority Trainee Development Scholarships—recognize trainees who are members of underrepresented minority groups, and they will be presented at the Diversity Forum. Recipients are selected for the quality of the science in their submitted abstracts, among other criteria. The scholarships are supported by the ATS.

The 2023 Diversity Fellowship recipients will also be presented during the forum. These fellowships are designed to support the efforts of senior fellows, post-doctoral students, or junior faculty with research, clinical, and policy endeavors to advance health equity for patients with respiratory disease, critical care illness or injury, and sleep-disordered breathing.

Many thanks to Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc., a Janssen Pharmaceutical Company of Johnson & Johnson for support of the Diversity Forum.