In this episode of In Pursuit, Dr. Patrick Seed talks with Dr. Bria Coates, about her research in pediatric critical care medicine and respiratory infections in children. Dr. Coates shares insights into the challenges and unpredictability of viral respiratory illnesses in young patients, the impact of these infections on long-term lung health and how her research aims to reshape the field.

During more than three decades of her career in pediatric pulmonology, Susanna McColley, MD, has seen the average life expectancy for children with cystic fibrosis advance from teenage years to mid-50s. In this episode, Dr. McColley details the evolution of cystic fibrosis diagnosis and treatment and discusses how she is addressing the ongoing disparities in CF research, education, and care.

Genetic testing has been transformative in many areas of pediatrics, such as diagnosing rare conditions and syndromes. But in other cases, such as the processing of immigrants at the border or of children separated from families during war, genetic testing and the collection of biometric data in children can lead to an overreach of the government or law enforcement in criminal or humanitarian cases. Sara Huston, MS, Principal Investigator of the Genetics and Justice Laboratory at the Stanley Manne Research Institute, is an expert in genetic testing and the legal and ethical questions that often arise with its application in medicine and law enforcement. In this episode she discusses her research and current events where genetic testing could potentially help or harm families.