Dr. Tarek Dammad hosted the 14th annual Interventional Pulmonology Bootcamp course for Interventional Pulmonology Fellows from across the United States at Houston Methodist. The course was attended by Interventional Pulmonology fellows, AABIP expert Interventional Pulmonologists, academic researchers and industry partners.
By shifting the focus from invasive surgery to minimally invasive procedures, Interventional Pulmonology (IP) is transforming respiratory care.
Dr. Tarek Dammad, Clinical Director of the Pulmonary Division and Academic Interventional Pulmonology, hosted the 14th Annual AABIP/AIPPD Interventional Pulmonology (IP) Fellows Boot Camp in January 2026 at the Houston Methodist MITIE Bookout Center, in partnership with the American Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (AABIP) and the Association of Interventional Pulmonology Program Directors (AIPPD). He also served as the site director of the Advanced Bronchoscopy and Thoracoscopy Course taught during this bootcamp.
The Annual IP Fellows Boot Camp is a yearly event, designed for IP trainees to gain hands-on experience with core and state-of-the-art procedures, including advanced bronchoscopy, rigid thoracoscopic techniques, ablative modalities and thoracoscopic interventions, through cadaveric models and expert mentorship.
What is interventional pulmonology?
IP is a subspecialty of pulmonary medicine that provides a minimally invasive and technologically advanced approach for the diagnosis and treatment of complex diseases of the lung, chest cavity and airways. According to the National Institute of Health studies, IP is recognized as a distinct, organized subspecialty.
By leveraging cutting-edge technology, including robotic navigation coupled with advanced imaging, advanced therapeutic bronchoscopy and thoracoscopy techniques, IP provides quicker, precise diagnostics and therapeutic care for both malignant and non-malignant conditions, thereby reducing the need for traditional, high-risk thoracic surgery.
The IP bootcamp at Houston Methodist acted as a hub for showcasing groundbreaking research, innovative practices and new technology. Speakers included Dr. Sonali Sethi, Associate Professor of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, and Dr. George Cheng, Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Diego.
“The hands-on cadaver advanced bronchoscopy and thoracoscopy course taught at this bootcamp was all about innovation. We trained the next generation of interventional pulmonologists on robotic procedures coupled with advanced imaging, tumor ablation techniques, rigid bronchoscopies, thoracoscopies and other cutting-edge interventions in pulmonary and thoracic diseases. This course was significant because the new generation of interventional pulmonologists had the opportunity to interact together and learn from some of the finest AABIP faculties from across prominent institutions in the Untied States, all in one place at the Houston Methodist MITIE Lab. Another important aspect was that all the trainees, industry partners, researchers and clinicians came together at Houston Methodist and shared their thoughts about how to progress the field further. These conversations, discussions and collaborations are vital in bringing in new research. This is how new innovations are born to progress the field and improve patient outcomes.”
Tarek Dammad, MD
The MITIE lab
The Houston Methodist MITIE at the Bookout Center lab was selected as the hosting site for this national event. The lab is internationally recognized for its state-of-the-art medical simulation, robotic surgery training and innovative procedural education. This 35,000-square-foot, multi-functional facility is designed to train healthcare professionals across all skill levels, from residents to expert surgeons. MITIE also serves as a platform for developing new technologies, innovative procedures and training methods.
MITIE has four operating rooms, 18 surgical device training suites, a full-range of simulation environments (cadaveric, animated and high-fidelity virtual models), telemedicine capabilities, and is equipped with AI-enabled robotics, haptic technology and advanced imaging.
IP fellows from across the nation attended the IP bootcamp and were trained by more than 30 IP faculty members in advanced rigid bronchoscopy, thoracoscopy and robotics techniques. Attendees included industry partners, as well as clinicians and academic researchers from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, the Cleveland Clinic, Stanford University, The Lahey Clinic, The University of Maryland, University of California, Los Angeles, University of California, San Diego, and others. Dr. Warren Naselsky, Assistant Professor of Thoracic Surgery at Houston Methodist, also contributed to this event.
Established certifications in IP and IP training programs, such as this conference, are an effort to enhance the training quality and ensure the competency of IP fellows.
The 2026 Interventional Pulmonology Bootcamp
The two-day, hands-on cadaver training in advanced diagnostic bronchoscopy and rigid thoracoscopy included several components:
Robotic-assisted bronchoscopy coupled with advanced imaging techniques and radiation safety
RIGID bronchoscopy training
LASER assisted rigid bronchoscopic techniques
Various ablative therapies, like cryotherapy, electrosurgery and photodynamic therapies
Thoracoscopy with pleural biopsies and tunneled pleural catheter placement
Stent selection and placement
Interventional pulmonology and its potential implications
The term interventional pulmonology was first used in 1995 in the journal Clinics in Chest Medicine. Currently, more than 30 conditions can be diagnosed and/or treated using IP. These include central airway obstruction, lung cancer, nodules, pleural effusion and tumors or obstructions in the airways, including emphysema.
In the near future, IP can potentially transform the management of lung diseases from traditional, surgery-heavy approaches to quicker, minimally invasive and more effective care.
"Interventional pulmonology is at the intersection of pulmonology and thoracic surgery. The future of interventional pulmonology lies in minimally invasive techniques that enable clinicians to diagnose and treat diseases within the same procedure, including the identification and ablation of small, cancerous nodules," Dr. Dammad says.
"Interestingly, the evolution of interventional pulmonology mirrors that of interventional cardiology. In both cases, a distinct evidence-based sub-specialty evolved from a larger, broader field. Interventional pulmonology can become the procedure of choice to treat lung cancer and all thoracic diseases in the near future. Eventually, thoracic surgery and interventional pulmonology might become closer than ever.”