Richard Wang

Richard Wang, MD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), within the School of Medicine. He specializes in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and conducts clinical research focused on HIV-related lung disease, health disparities in respiratory diagnostics, and global health.

Education:

• MD, Weill Cornell Medical College, 2012
• Residency, Internal Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital–Cornell Medical Center, 2015
• Fellowship, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of California San Francisco, 2018
• MAS, Clinical Research, University of California San Francisco, 2020

Dr. Wang’s research spans respiratory physiology, HIV and lung function, health equity in spirometry, and global health interventions. He has published extensively on the impact of HIV on pulmonary outcomes, biomarkers of immune activation, and methodological critiques of race-based adjustments in lung function testing. His work in Malawi and Tanzania highlights his commitment to improving care in low-resource settings. He has also investigated e-cigarette use and smoking cessation, as well as nutritional interventions for malnutrition.

His recent publications (2023–2024) emphasize the need to move beyond race-specific spirometry equations, advocating for more equitable and scientifically sound approaches to pulmonary function assessment. These works have appeared in high-impact journals such as the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

Dr. Wang has collaborated on studies involving lung ultrasound in sepsis, outcomes in critically ill patients during the early pandemic, and the long-term risks of malnutrition relapse. His research reflects a blend of clinical insight, epidemiological rigor, and ethical engagement with diagnostic practices.

Scientific Contributions:

• Published in top journals including NEJM, The Lancet, AJPH, and BMJ Global Health
• Active in global health research in Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda
• Principal and co-investigator on multiple clinical studies in HIV and pulmonary disease
• Advocate for eliminating race correction in spirometry

Dr. Wang is involved in mentoring and teaching within the clinical and research training programs at UCSF. His work is supported by institutional and possibly federal research funding, though specific grants are not listed. He is part of multidisciplinary teams studying critical care delivery in safety-net hospitals and developing consensus guidelines for essential emergency care worldwide. His future work is likely to continue addressing disparities in respiratory medicine and advancing equitable clinical practices.