logo1
logo2

Our Alliance

image1
image2

Mission of the ILD Community Network

To unite, empower, and support individuals and organizations in advancing awareness, research, and care for those impacted by Interstitial Lung Disease.

icon1

Connect to ILD experts in your region

Partner with trusted ILD experts in your region to unlock your potential and achieve your goals.

ILD EXPERTS

doc_image

Naomi Amudala

CRNP, MSN

Naomi Amudala, CRNP, MSN, is a highly experienced nurse practitioner specializing in rheumatology at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After graduating from MGH Institute of Health Professions in 2009 with a Master’s in Nursing, Naomi joined the division of Rheumatology at Boston University. Her primary focus was evaluating and managing patients with vasculitis as well as acting as co-investigator in multiple clinical trials in vasculitis. In 2018 she moved to Philadelphia and started working at Penn Medicine Rheumatology. The majority of her time continues to be dedicated to the clinical care of patients with vasculitis and other rare diseases as well as engaging in research. In 2022 Naomi joined the board of directors for RhAPP, which is a national organization for APPs and pharmacists in Rheumatology.

doc_image

Christine Anderson

NP-C

Christine Anderson, NP-C, is a nurse practitioner specializing in pulmonology at Duke Health in Durham, North Carolina. She is originally from Canada and graduated from The University of Western Ontario with a Bachelors in Science in Nursing in London, Ontario back in 1999. After graduation, she moved to Durham, NC to start a nursing career at Duke University Health System. The majority of her nursing career has been in cardiology from Cardiac Step-Down to Cardiac Intensive Care Unit to the Cardiac Cath Lab. In 2005, Christine obtained a Masters in Science in Nursing with a Leadership focus and became the nurse manager of the Electrophysiology Lab at Duke Hospital. After downsizing the department, she moved over to the Duke Clinical Research Institute as a nurse clinician working on cardiology clinical trials. She truly missed patient care and went back to school and graduated with a post-master’s certificate as an Adult-Gerontologic Nurse Practitioner in 2015. Christine worked at Duke Cardiology of Lumberton for one year before coming back to main campus of Duke University Hospital and starting a new career in pulmonary medicine. Now she is the nurse practitioner for the Duke Interstitial Lung Disease Clinic where she still practices. For her last hurrah, Christine went back to school for a Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree that was awarded in 2019. Her graduate project was “Using a Smart Phrase to Improve Documentation of Supportive Care Measures in Patients with IPF”. This paper was published in the Journal for Nurse Practitioners and was presented at conferences such as the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation and Chest. Christine loves working with ILD patients and have learned so much over the past 9 years working in our clinic. She have been speaking about IPF and progressive ILD for past several years and have so much fun sharing my knowledge with Advanced Care Providers and providers alike.

doc_image

Lisa Asfahani

PA-C

Lisa Asfahani DHSc, PA-C is a certified and state licensed Physician Assistant practicing in Rheumatology at Southland Arthritis in Temecula, California. Lisa graduated from California State Polytechnic University with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, her Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Sciences from Loma Linda University in 2011 and her Doctorate degree in Health Sciences from A.T. Still University of Health Sciences in 2022. Lisa is experienced in both Rheumatology as well as in General Medicine and involved in numerous clinical studies in the field of Rheumatology. She is a member of several professional societies including the Association of Rheumatology Professionals (ARP), California Academy of Physician Assistants (CAPA), and RhAPP. Lisa’s goal in patient care is to treat each patient/provider interaction as an opportunity serve, to teach, and to heal. She enjoys traveling and spending time with family whenever she can.

doc_image

Heather Bachert

NP

Heather D. Bachert, NP, is a board-certified Adult Nurse Practitioner and specializes in interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pulmonary fibrosis (PF) at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. She earned her advanced practice training at Wayne State University and the University of Saskatchewan and is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. In addition to her clinical role, Heather leads patient support groups for individuals living with ILD and PF, providing education, guidance, and a sense of community. Known for her compassionate and thorough approach, she is highly regarded by patients for her ability to explain complex conditions clearly and provide attentive follow-up care. She is currently accepting new patients and also offers telehealth services.

doc_image

Shannon Benesh

DNP, NP-C

Shannon Benesh, DNP, RN-BC, AGNP-C, is a Nurse Practitioner specializing in Interstitial Lung Disease at Columbia University Irving Medical Center within the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care. She earned her BSN from James Madison University and her MSN from Adelphi University, later completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Stony Brook University with a project focused on early advance care planning in ILD. Shannon has clinical experience as an RN at leading academic hospitals across various specialties and is certified as a Progressive Care Certified Nurse and Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner. She is an active member of AANP, has contributed to published ILD research, and participates in national advisory boards dedicated to improving ILD care. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their dog and enjoys traveling, reading, running, and the occasional cocktail.

doc_image

Kelley Brant

NP

Kelley Brant, NP, is a nurse practitioner specializing in pulmonology at Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City, Utah. With over 17 years of diverse clinical experience, Kelley Brant is a dedicated healthcare professional with a passion for advancing pulmonary care. A graduate of San Diego State University with a BSN, Kelley began her career as a registered nurse in high-acuity settings, including the emergency room, ICU, and urgent care, where she honed her ability to excel in fast-paced, multidisciplinary environments. Kelley earned her MSN from the University of South Alabama and is double board-certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and Emergency Nurse Practitioner. For the past 2.5 years, Kelley has served as a nurse practitioner specializing in pulmonary medicine, with a particular focus in interstitial lung disease (ILD). As an ILD program coordinator, Kelley has gained experience in managing complex patient populations and remains actively involved in general pulmonary care, including COPD, asthma, and other respiratory conditions. Kelley also has a strong interest in research, supporting her facility’s participation in several randomized controlled trials to advance evidence-based practice. Beyond clinical work, Kelley is committed to fostering connections within the healthcare community. As a member of AANP, CHEST, and Utah Nurse Practitioners, she emphasizes professional development and collaboration to improve patient outcomes and advance the field of pulmonary care.

doc_image

Michele Cerra

MSN, FNP-BC

doc_image

April Conlon

NP-C

doc_image

Kelsey Cramer

MSN, AGACNP-BC, DNP

Kelsey Cramer, MSN, AGACNP-BC, DNP, is a board-certified adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner specializing in pulmonary medicine at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin. She focuses on interstitial lung disease (ILD), pulmonary hypertension (PH), and sarcoidosis. Kelsey earned her MSN from Depaul University in Chicago, and her DNP from Rush University. She is dedicated to delivering patient-centered care, education, and support for those managing complex lung conditions.

doc_image

Kristy Delaney

APRN

Kristy Delaney, APRN, is a pulmonary nurse practitioner specializing in interstitial lung disease at The University of Kansas Health System. She has over 21 years of experience in medicine, beginning her career as a bedside RN in the Medical ICU before becoming an APRN. For the past 9 years, she has focused her practice on ILD. In addition to her clinical expertise, Kristy holds a degree in Education and is passionate about empowering patients, caregivers, and fellow healthcare professionals through education and support in the management of ILD.

doc_image

Rebekah Edwards

DNP, FNP-C

Rebekah Edwards, DNP, FNP-C, is a nurse practitioner specializing in pulmonology at Norton Thoracic Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Arizona State University and is experienced in pulmonology, cardiology, and thoracic surgery. She also received her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Arizona State University and has practiced in pulmonology ever since.

doc_image

Mary Elliott

PA-C, PhD

doc_image

Kathryn Fenwick

CRNP, DNP

doc_image

Heather Finlayson

PA-C

Heather Finlayson, MS, PA-C, is a certified Physician Assistant specializing in rheumatology for Summit Rheumatology in Littleton, Colorado. She previously worked at National Jewish Health Rheumatology and started at Colorado Arthritis Associates in Rheumatology in 2012. She has also taught rheumatology courses at Rocky Vista University PA program since 2022. Heather is a member of the Association of Rheumatology Professionals (ARP) (division of American College of Rheumatology-ACR), and the Association of Women in Rheumatology (AWIR). She is currently the AWIR Denver Local Chapter Co-Lead, a Rheumatology Advanced Practice Providers (RhAPP) faculty member and has served on several ACR/ARP committees.

doc_image

Cori Fratelli

MSN, FNP-C

Cori Fratelli, MSN, FNP-C, is a nurse practitioner specializing in pulmonology at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado. She has a unique background in both basic science and clinical research, which has informed her interest in clinical medicine. Her past basic science research includes asthma, airway hyperresponsiveness, cystic fibrosis, and lung cancer. Her past clinical research includes COPD and interstitial lung disease (ILD). Presently, she is interested in how research translates into personalized medicine. Her clinical focus is mainly on ILD, but she also sees general pulmonary medicine patients, as needed.

doc_image

Kyle George

PA-C

Kyle George, PA-C, is a physician assistant with over 16 years of experience in rheumatology at Saint Luke's Medical Center in Boise, Idaho. He specializes in managing autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. Kyle collaborates with a multidisciplinary team, providing personalized and comprehensive care to his patients.

doc_image

Shannon Ghizzoni

PA-C

Shannon Ghizzoni, PA-C, is a board-certified Physician Assistant specializing in rheumatology at the Columbus Arthritis Center in Columbus, Ohio. With a passion for providing comprehensive care to patients with rheumatic conditions, Shannon focuses on patient education, disease management, and improving quality of life. She is dedicated to staying current with the latest advancements in rheumatology and fostering collaborative relationships with patients and healthcare teams to deliver personalized, evidence-based care.

doc_image

Courtney Gibbons

NP

Courtney Gibbons, MSN, APRN, AGACNP-BC, is a dedicated Pulmonary Nurse Practitioner. With empathy, and compassion, Courtney is committed to delivering evidence-based, patient-centered care to individuals living with complex lung conditions. Her nurse practitioner career has been devoted to pulmonary medicine, to improve quality of life and empower patients. Courtney earned her License at Tyler Junior College then advanced to Registered Nurse in 2016 after completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Indiana State University, and later earned her Master of Science in Nursing with an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certification from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2021. Throughout her career, Courtney has been recognized for her dedication to clinical excellence and compassionate care, receiving the Houston Methodist ICARE Award and being named among the Houston Chronicle’s Top 150 Nurses of 2020.

doc_image

Audrey Gibson

PA-C, MsPAS

Audrey Gibson, MSPAS, PA-C is a board-certified rheumatology physician assistant at the Arthritis Center of North Georgia in Gainesville, Georgia. She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology from Lipscomb University and earned her Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from South University in Savannah, Georgia. Audrey is a certified densitometrist with a clinical focus on rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, spondyloarthropathies, inflammatory myopathies, and osteoporosis. She is an active member of the Society of Physician Assistants in Rheumatology, the Georgia Society of Rheumatology, the American College of Rheumatology, and the American Academy of Physician Assistants. Audrey also serves as a faculty advisor for the Rheumatology Advanced Practice Providers (RhAPP).

doc_image

Jessica Glennie

CNP

Jessica Glennie, CNP, is a certified nurse practitioner, specializing in pulmonology, who has worked in outpatient pulmonary medicine at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio for 8 years. She manages patients in the interstitial lung disease program, including care of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, autoimmune related interstitial lung disease, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, occupational lung diseases, and drug-induced interstitial lung disease. She is co-director of the Cleveland Clinic’s ILD multidisciplinary conference.

ILD Community Network Educational Events

ILD Digital Learning Center

Podcasts

Podcasts

FAQ

FAQ

Med Review

Med Review

Webcast

Webcast

Industry Resources

News

News

news_image

Real-world characteristics of trastuzumab deruxtecan-related interstitial lung disease in Japanese patients with breast cancer and gastric cancer

calSeptember 2026

CONCLUSIONS: Most T-DXd-related ILD cases were mild/moderate and corticosteroid-responsive; DAD pattern was associated with higher mortality. These findings underscore the importance of vigilant monitoring, early recognition, and prompt corticosteroid treatment to mitigate fatal T-DXd-related ILD.

news_image

Forced Vital Capacity and Six-Minute Walk Test as Indicators of Interstitial Lung Disease Extent on High-Resolution Computed Tomography in Systemic Sclerosis

calSeptember 2026

CONCLUSION: FVC alone may serve as a practical functional indicator of ILD extent, particularly where HRCT access is limited. Routine addition of 6MWT distance is not justified solely for estimating ILD extent, although the 6MWT remains valuable for assessing functional capacity and exertional desaturation.

news_image

Improvement of interstitial lung disease during brodalumab treatment in a patient with psoriasis and systemic immune-mediated inflammation

calSeptember 2026

No abstract

news_image

Trastuzumab Deruxtecan-Associated Pneumonitis in Non-Breast Solid Tumors: A Retrospective Cohort Study

calSeptember 2026

CONCLUSION: T-DXd-associated pneumonitis disproportionately affects patients with lung cancer and confers substantial mortality risk. A higher T-DXd dose and a short interval from prior therapy may increase pneumonitis risk but require validation in larger cohorts.

news_image

Risks of adverse respiratory outcomes in adults with cancer over the course of survivorship compared with cancer-free individuals: a matched cohort study using linked English electronic health records

calSeptember 2026

BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare the risks of developing new chronic respiratory conditions, or exacerbating existing ones in survivors of 20 common cancers vs. cancer-free individuals.

news_image

Combined Pulmonary Fibrosis and Emphysema: Clinicoradiological Parameters Associated with Fibrosis Patterns

calSeptember 2026

CONCLUSION: Although comorbidities were found to be significantly higher in the UIP pattern compared to the NSIP pattern, the CCI was similar. As more than half of patients with CPFE had elevated sPAP, pulmonary hypertension should also be considered when evaluating these patients.

news_image

The management of complex patients with inoperable stage III NSCLC: practical lessons from case-based discussion

calSeptember 2026

BACKGROUND: Standard of care for inoperable and/or unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by 12 months of adjuvant durvalumab. Many patients are ineligible due to poor fitness, comorbidity or concerns around their ability to tolerate concurrent therapy or immunotherapy. As a result, these patients experience inferior outcomes.

news_image

Antibody-Drug Conjugates in the Treatment of Esophageal Cancer

calSeptember 2026

Esophageal cancer remains one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide, with particularly poor outcomes following disease progression after first-line chemoimmunotherapy. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as a transformative therapeutic class that combines the targeting precision of monoclonal antibodies with potent cytotoxic payloads, enabling selective tumor cell killing while minimizing off-target toxicity. In the management of advanced esophageal cancer, I advocate for the...

news_image

Autoantibody Profiles and Clinical Correlations in Systemic Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Study

calSeptember 2026

CONCLUSION: SSc in this cohort showed female predominance with frequent arthralgia and respiratory symptoms. Anti-Scl-70 antibodies were most common, strongly linked to diffuse disease and ILD. ANA profiling provides disease characterization in Indian SSc.

news_image

Effects of dust exposure on IGF1 and autophagy related to coal workers' pneumoconiosis

calSeptember 2026

CONCLUSION: Age, early initial working age, prolonged dust exposure, smoking, elevated white blood cell count and increased AST/ALT ratio are correlated factors for coal workers' pneumoconiosis. Synchronous alterations in IGF1 upregulation, elevated phosphorylation levels of PI3K and AKT, and abnormal expression of autophagy-related markers were observed in pneumoconiosis patients and silica-stimulated macrophages, revealing correlative molecular links among these molecules in pneumoconiosis...

news_image

A Rare Case of COPA Syndrome: Multisystem Relapse and Fatal Septic Complication

calSeptember 2026

COPA syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant autoimmune disorder caused by COPA gene mutations, leading to immune dysregulation and multisystem involvement. We report a 45-year-old man with recurrent respiratory failure, haemoptysis, renal dysfunction and arthritis. Symptoms began at Age 27 with diffuse alveolar damage requiring mechanical ventilation. Imaging showed progressive interstitial lung disease and biopsy revealed follicular bronchiolitis. Immunosuppression provided temporary...

news_image

Juvenile dermatomyositis in Latvia: clinical, radiologic, laboratory, and therapeutic findings from 2010 to 2025

calSeptember 2026

CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study covering 2010-2025 shows that JDM in Latvia generally presents similarly to that described in other cohorts of children. Proximal muscle weakness and characteristic skin findings were common, while CPK elevation was observed in only a subset of children. Most children responded well to treatment with glucocorticosteroids and methotrexate, with remission achieved in the majority within the first year and only rare need for biologic therapy. Muscle MRI was...

news_image

Interstitial pneumonia signals of apalutamide, darolutamide, and enzalutamide in FAERS and JADER

calSeptember 2026

CONCLUSION: The three ARSIs showed heterogeneous interstitial pneumonia reporting patterns in FAERS and JADER. Apalutamide and darolutamide demonstrated more consistent disproportionality signals, whereas enzalutamide showed weaker signal strength but a reproducible early-onset pattern among reports with valid time-to-onset information. These findings support continued pharmacovigilance and early clinical monitoring, while recognizing that spontaneous reporting signals cannot establish causality...

news_image

Novel Dosing, Monitoring, and Safety Assessment for Cyclosporine in the Management of ABCA3 Surfactant Dysfunction in an Infant

calSeptember 2026

No abstract

news_image

Organelle Crosstalk and Metabolic Reprogramming in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications

calSeptember 2026

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal interstitial lung disease of unknown cause, marked by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components such as collagen. This pathological accumulation results in progressive destruction of the lung architecture and ultimately leads to respiratory failure. Growing evidence indicates that dysfunction across multiple cell types is an important driver of IPF. Nevertheless, its underlying pathobiology remains incompletely understood. The...

news_image

Top Ten Tips Palliative Care Clinicians Should Know About Caring for People with Interstitial Lung Diseases

calSeptember 2026

Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) represent a heterogenous group of illnesses with significant multidimensional suffering and varied prognoses. Integration of palliative care (PC), though beneficial, is limited for this group of individuals. The complex care needs of people with ILD and their caregivers are underrecognized and incompletely addressed. This gap necessitates shared care by a multidisciplinary team along the illness trajectory. PC clinicians need to understand the illness patterns,...

news_image

Effect of an acute exercise bout on alveolar-capillary membrane permeability and interstitial fluid accumulation in COPD

calSeptember 2026

Exertional dyspnoea is a debilitating symptom in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and often persists after the cessation of exercise. The underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, and a potential contributing factor that has not previously been investigated is alveolar-capillary membrane breaching with extravasation of fluid into the lungs. Sixteen individuals with COPD and 16 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included. Alveolar-capillary membrane permeability was...

news_image

A regulatory network underlying idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

calSeptember 2026

CONCLUSIONS: These findings refine the molecular landscape of the chromosome 11p15.5 IPF susceptibility locus and prioritize BRSK2 as a candidate component of an IPF-associated profibrotic fibroblast state. Its causal contribution, direct regulatory relationships, and therapeutic tractability require targeted mechanistic validation.

news_image

VV-ECMO therapy and diagnostic analysis of a patient with anti-synthetase syndrome complicated by severe acute respiratory distress syndrome

calSeptember 2026

Anti-synthetase syndrome (ASS) is a rare autoimmune disorder, and cases complicated by severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) are exceedingly uncommon and clinically challenging. On July 6, 2025, a 71-year-old woman with ASS complicated by severe ARDS was admitted to the department of intensive care unit of Huanggang Central Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University. She presented with a 25-day history of anorexia and...

news_image

Baseline disease activity index and forced vital capacity predict clinically meaningful complications and mortality in systemic sclerosis

calSeptember 2026

CONCLUSION: Baseline mDAI and forced vital capacity independently predict disease-related clinically meaningful complications and mortality in SSc. The mDAI provides a simple, feasible tool for risk stratification beyond progression of interstitial lung disease.