Francesca Polverino

Francesca Polverino, MD, PhD, is the Lester and Sue Smith Full Professor and tenured Professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, Texas), leading the COPD translational research program. She previously held roles at Harvard Medical School (Boston, MA) and the University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ). Her research focuses on COPD pathobiology, emphasizing precision medicine approaches to identify therapeutic targets for COPD subphenotypes. She holds dual medical and pharmaceutical degrees from Italian universities, with advanced training including postdoctoral work at Harvard and fellowships across Europe.

Education & Training

• MD: University of Naples (2006)
• PharmD: University of Parma (2017)
• Residency: University of Messina (2011)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship: Harvard Medical School (2011–2015)

Research Focus

Dr. Polverino’s work addresses COPD’s multifactorial origins, including environmental, genetic, and developmental contributors. Key areas include B cell dysregulation in emphysema-predominant COPD, spatial transcriptomics for disease biomarker discovery, and preclinical validation of therapies like metformin. She pioneered the use of non-human primate models for COPD and identified protective molecules such as CC16 and ADAM8.

Awards & Recognition

• 2023 Parker B Francis Award (American Thoracic Society)
• 2022 European Respiratory Society COPD GOLD Medal
• 2019 Medal of Honor for Scientific Merits (Italian Republic)
• 2017 Rising Star of Research Award (American Thoracic Society)

Lab & Funding

Her Polverino Lab at Baylor integrates omic platforms (radiomics, transcriptomics) to dissect COPD mechanisms. Major funders include NIH/NHLBI (R01 grants), VICTORY Houston, and industry partnerships. She co-leads the COPDiNET international research consortium, advancing global COPD translational efforts.

Contact

Laboratory: Methodist Neurosensory Center, Houston, TX
Phone: (617) 306-8999