Double Triumph: PhD Candidate Cesar Cristancho Rojas Lands Two Major Lung Disease Research Grants

Cesar Cristancho Rojas, a third-year PhD candidate in the Epidemiology program, has achieved a remarkable feat by securing two prestigious research grants totaling over $119,000. These grants will significantly support his advanced research into complex lung diseases, bringing him closer to becoming a promising clinical researcher in medicine.

The awards—the CHEST Research Grant and the biopharmaceutical company grant– focus on critical areas within pulmonary health: Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis (NCFB) and Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) pulmonary disease. This dual success highlights the importance and scientific merit of Cesar’s proposed work.

Cesar was awarded the highly competitive Research Grant in Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Diseases/Bronchiectasis from the CHEST Board of Advisors.

This grant directly aligns with his doctoral dissertation and focuses on NCFB, a chronic lung condition. The project, titled “Exacerbation rates and the impact of inhaled antibiotics therapy in adults with Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis: a population-based longitudinal analysis,” will use extensive administrative data, such as insurance claims from Medicaid, Medicare, and other companies, to study the real-world impact of inhaled antibiotics.

This administrative data analysis is a major undertaking, allowing Cesar to study a large patient pool to understand how inhaled antibiotics affect exacerbation rates—the recurring infections that characterize the disease—in adults with NCFB. Cesar successfully defended his dissertation proposal recently, a crucial step made possible by the project’s development.

Cesar’s second substantial grant came from a biopharmaceutical company for a project titled “Diagnostic Accuracy and prognostic value of Computed Tomography (CT) for Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Disease in Adults: A Systematic Review Protocol.”

This grant focuses on NTM pulmonary disease, an infection of the lung often involving difficult-to-treat bacteria. As a trained physician and radiologist, Cesar’s passion for medical imaging of the lungs is central to this work. Though initially proposed for one year, Cesar is making excellent progress and anticipates finishing the systematic review ahead of schedule.

Mentorship: The Driving Force Behind Success

Cesar credits his advisor and the research team for the success of these applications, particularly highlighting the guidance of his advisor, Kevin Winthrop, M.D., MPH, professor of infectious disease and public health. Dr. Winthrop’s vast experience in both the physician/medicine field and in claims data analysis was instrumental. When Cesar expressed interest in developing a career in lung disease and medical imaging, Dr. Winthrop proposed the CHEST project, leveraging his own background in claims data and supporting Cesar through the learning process.

Cesar expressed profound gratitude, to his mentor, stating: “I couldn’t be more grateful to Kevin. Kevin has been so supportive and pushes me to think about all of the intersecting research related to the chest.”

Cesar also acknowledged the vital support from the center’s Research Administrator, Sarah Siegel, whose assistance in the production of the proposals was crucial. This supportive ecosystem of the Winthrop research team, combined with Cesar’s existing clinical strengths, has positioned him to make a significant impact on the understanding and treatment of chronic lung diseases.