Houston Methodist Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine

Our specialized care team includes experts dedicated to treating pulmonary hypertension, including surgeons, radiologists, nurses, coordinators, pharmacists, nurse educators, ER staff and researchers. 

Faculty members in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine lead the field, creating guidelines directly impacting the care of patients throughout the U.S. and the world. Through rigorous clinical investigation and translational research, we develop breakthrough therapies that improve the lives of patients with respiratory failure, complex illnesses and sleep-related disorders. Collaboration is foundational to our team culture, connected by the shared passion for providing the best possible clinical care to each patient.

Led by Division Chief Rodney Folz, MD, PhD, ATSF, a highly respected physician-scientist, we are pioneering research in pulmonary disease, innovating lung repair, mentoring future physician-scientists and promoting research across disciplines to tackle complex conditions in safe and effective ways. 

Sandeep Sahay, MD, ATSF, received the Outstanding Clinician Award by the American Thoracic Society in 2025. In 2024, Dr. Sahay received the Presidential Award – Peer Reviewed Publication for his research on chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. 

We have experienced immense growth in interventional pulmonology due to the guidance of Tarek Dammad, MD, D-AABIP, who expanded the program to take on even more advanced, complex procedures in the operating room. Our physicians and faculty also share their knowledge outside the system, including teaching at the Weill Cornell Medical College. 

Our Faculty ➝   Our Physicians ➝ 

The research portfolio within our division is one of the largest in the Department of Medicine, with more than 40 specific research trials, grants and projects supported by our state-of-the-art biomedical and basic pulmonary research laboratory. Our faculty benefit from immense support for academic research within a clinical-heavy environment. We expand knowledge by blending our vast clinical experience with basic and translational science. 

Our research footprint spans the U.S. and beyond. Several recent breakthrough clinical trials have reset and expanded the treatment management of pulmonary hypertension. We are working to develop biomarkers for early diagnosis of lung cancer, investigating new therapeutic strategies to treat and prevent the progression of chronic obstructive disease, uncovering novel treatments to prevent or reverse interstitial lung disease, exploring new biologic treatments for asthma, and more. 

Our groundbreaking research improves clinical care in programs throughout the division and system. Some of these collaborative clinics and courses include the Houston Methodist Critical Care Recovery Clinic and the Interventional Pulmonology course, which includes procedures like rigid bronchoscopy tumor resection and laser and robotic-assisted bronchoscopy. 

Another well-established area of collaboration is the Houston Methodist Lung Center’s Pulmonary Hypertension Program. As the division’s most robust research program, it is actively engaged in 20-30 clinical trials. A leading example of our commitment to academic excellence and innovation, our faculty are involved in the development of pulmonary research guidelines at both national and international levels. 

The physicians in our division are dedicated to training the next generation of pulmonologists, critical care and sleep medicine specialists. We nurture future leaders by teaching residents, fellows and nurse practitioners to pursue excellence and the spirit of innovation in the patient care they provide. 

Our ACGM-accredited Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Fellowship Program accepts three fellows per year and is tailored to meet the goals of each individual trainee, with a focus on developing core competencies in all aspects of pulmonary diseases, critical care and research. The required set of rotations, didactic curriculum, conferences and elective rotations broaden the base of knowledge and facilitate high-quality, cost-effective clinical practice.  

Our division supports a wide range of expertise, including pulmonary hypertension and interventional pulmonology. The Transplant Pulmonary and Advanced Lung Diseases Fellowship is a one-year program tailored for board-certified or board-eligible pulmonary and critical care physicians, offering advanced training in end-stage lung diseases, lung transplantation, and both donor and recipient management.

We are also involved with the ACGME-accredited Critical Care Medicine Fellowship, run through the Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care. We hold regular pulmonary and critical care grand rounds, as well as pulmonary and lung transplant lectures. Our clinicians share expert insights at the Annual International Symposium on Advances in Critical Care Medicine and the Advanced Lung Disease and Lung Transplant Symposium. 

Recently, we started an advanced bronchoscopy and robotic bronchoscopy course in conjunction with the Houston Methodist Institute for Technology, Innovation and Education (MITIE) lab at The Bookout Center. Due to the strength of our faculty and state-of-the-art facilities in the MITIE lab, Houston Methodist is hosting the American Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology bootcamp for the next three years. 

We actively provide education and clinical care to the Houston community. Division Chief of Pulmonology Rodney Folz, MD, PhD, ATSF and Christopher Cortes, MD, lead the pulmonary rotation for the Houston Methodist Community Scholars program at the nonprofit HOPE Clinic.