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Rafael E.de la HozMD, MPH, MSc, ATSF, FACP, FCCP

Pulmonology New York, NY

Occupational & Environmental Lung Disease

Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

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  • Office

    1 Gustave L Levy Place
    SCOH/WTC HP CCE Box 1059
    New York, NY 10029
    Phone+1 212-241-1652
    Fax+1 212-241-5516

Summary

  • Dr. de la Hoz has had a longstanding career and research interest in clinical occupational respiratory toxicology, occupational obstructive lung diseases, and pneumoconioses. Since 2002, Dr. de la Hoz has followed and characterized the types of bronchial disease associated with occupational toxicant exposures at the WTC disaster site. From his initial clinical descriptions, he moved to the investigation, as the principal investigator of a project on the correlation of symptoms, pulmonary functional, and qualitative and quantitative chest CT scan findings in the WTC occupational cohort followed at Mount Sinai Medical Center. For his clinical, research and educational work, he received the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award of the American Thoracic Society, Section on Terrorism and Inhalational Disasters.
  • Ametican Thoracic Society Lifetime Achievement Award, TID Section

    American Thoracic Society

    Panel discussion: Irritants and Airborne Pollutants in Adult Asthma - ERS Respir

    26-October-2023 Discussion of clinical, epidemiological, and mechanistic aspects of irritant- and pollutant-induced airway injury and resulting asthma.

Education & Training

  • New York University-Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
    New York University-Graduate School of Arts and SciencesMSc, Environmental Health Sciences, 1995 - 2000
  • Yale University-School of Epidemiology and Public Health
    Yale University-School of Epidemiology and Public HealthMPH, Chronic Disease Epidemiology, 1990 - 1993
  • Yale University School of Medicine
    Yale University School of MedicineOccupational and Environmental Medicine, 1990 - 1992
  • University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine
    University of British Columbia Faculty of MedicineFellowship, 1988 - 1990
  • University of Miami/Jackson Health System
    University of Miami/Jackson Health SystemResidency, Internal Medicine, 1985 - 1988
  • Univ del Rosario Sch of Med
    Univ del Rosario Sch of MedClass of 1982, MD, Class standing: First
  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia, School of Medicine
    Universidad Nacional de Colombia, School of Medicine-, Medicine, 1976 - 1977

Certifications & Licensure

  • NY State Medical License
    NY State Medical License 1993 - 2026
  • FL State Medical License
    FL State Medical License 1987 - 2000
  • CT State Medical License
    CT State Medical License 1991 - 1993
  • American Board of Internal Medicine Internal Medicine
  • American Board of Internal Medicine Pulmonary Disease
  • American Board of Preventive Medicine Occupational Medicine

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

  • Lifetime Achievement Award American Thoracic Society, Section on Terrorism and Inhalational Disasters, 2024
  • Occupational Medicine Top Doctor, New York Metro Area Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., 2015-2024
  • Cullman Family Award for Excellence in Physician Communication The Joseph F. Cullman, Jr. Institute for Patient Experience at Mount Sinai, 2020, 2023
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Clinical Trials

Publications & Presentations

Journal Articles

  • Nasal resistance and inflammation: mechanisms for obstructive sleep apnea from chronic rhinosinusitis  
    Ayappa I, Laumbach R, Black K, Weintraub M, Agarwala P, Twumasi A, Sanders H, Udasin I, Harrison D, de la Hoz RE, Chen Y, Chitkara N, Mullins AE, Romero Castillo H, Ra..., J Clin Sleep Med 2024;20:1627-1636, 6/19/2024
  • Lack of association of impaired upper airway sensation with the presence or absence of obstructive sleep apnea or chronic rhinosinusitis in World Trade Center responders  
    Sunderram J, Legard A, De Resende A, Black K, Udasin I, Lu S, Romero Castillo H, Ravi SS, Mullins A, de la Hoz RE, Rapaport DM, Ayappa I, Occup Environ Med 2024;81:302-307, 6/14/2024
  • Cluster analysis of World Trade Center related lower airway diseases  
    de la Hoz RE, Jeon Y, Doucette JT, Reeves AP, San José Estépar R, Celedón JC, J Occup Environ Med 2024;66:179-184, 2/2/2024
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Books/Book Chapters

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Abstracts/Posters

  • Radiologic emphysema scores in ever vs. never smokers with COPD from the World Trade Center (WTC) General Responders’ Cohort [Abstract]
    Weber J, Katz C, San José Estépar R, Celedón JC, Doucette JT, de la Hoz RE, ATS 2025 International Conference [submitted], San Francisco, CA, 5/15/2025
  • Quantitative CT marker of distal airway inflammation is correlated with marker of proximal airway dysfunction in WTC workers with low FVC [Abstract]
    Weber J, San José Estépar R, Reeves AP, Doucette JT, Celedón JC, de la Hoz RE, Eur Respir J 2024;64(Suppl 68):PA4884, 2024 European Respiratory Society International Congress, Vienna, Austria, 9/10/2024
  • Effects of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) on sleep duration and variability in World Trade Center {WTC) responders [Abstract]
    Ravi SS, Romero Castillo HM, De Resende A, Legard A, Martillo K, Varga A, R. O, Parekh A, Black K, Rapoport DM, Mullins A, de la Hoz RE, Lu S-E, Sunderram J, Ayappa I, Sleep 2024;47(Suppl1):A384, 2024 SLEEP Conference, Houston, TX, 7/1/2024
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Other

  • Occupational chronic airway disease among World Trade Center workers and volunteers 
    de la Hoz RE, Lung Health Professional Magazine
    1/1/2011
  • COPD and GERD 
    Annan E, Glen C, de la Hoz RE, Raskin J, Lung Health Professional Magazine
    1/1/2011
  • Clinical Guidelines for Adults Exposed to the WTC Disaster 
    de la Hoz RE, City Health Information
    1/1/2008

Grant Support

  • Enhancing Surveillance Spirometry of At-Risk Occupationally Exposed Populations (PI)National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health2024–2026
  • Disturbed Sleep and Cardiovascular Outcomes in WTC Responders (co-I, PI: Sunderram)National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health2023–2026
  • Role of Sleep Apnea in Cognition and Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers in WTC Responders (co-I, PI: Ayappa))National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health2021–2026
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in WTC Workers: Diagnoses and Transitions (PI)National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health2018–2026
  • Metabolomics of World Trade Center Lung Injury: Biomarker Validation and Longitudinal Assessment (co-I, PI: Nolan)National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health2017–2026
  • Pulmonary Diseases in WTC Workers: Symptoms, Function and Chest CT Correlates (PI)National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health2012–2026
  • Beneficial Effects of Tailored Light Intervention on Metabolic Syndrome on WTC Responders, Recovery Workers, and Volunteers (co-I, PI: Alsalman))National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences2022–2023
  • Optimizing Lung Cancer Screening in World Trade Center Rescue and Recovery Workers (co-I, PI: Sigel/Wisnivesky))National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health2018–2021
  • Exploring Mechanisms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) in WTC Responders (co-I)National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health2018–2021
  • Cytochrome P 450 Dependent Oxidase And EmphysemaNational Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute1996–1999
  • Cytochrome P 450 Dependent Oxidase And EmphysemaNational Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute1995

Committees

  • Secretary, International Commission on Occupational Health, Scientific Committee on Respiratory Disorders, 2024 - Present
  • Management Committee Member, International Commission on Occupational Health, Scientific Committee on Epidemiology in Occupational Health (EPICOH) 2024 - Present
  • Member, European Respiratory Society, Education Council 2023 - Present
  • Associate Editor, Breathe, Editorial Board 2023 - Present
  • Secretary, European Respiratory Society, Environment and Epidemiology Assembly 2023 - Present
  • Associate Editor, Respiratory Research, Editorial Board 2021 - Present
  • Member, National Occupational Research Agenda- Respiratory Health Cross-sector Council 2016 - Present
  • Member, European Respiratory Society, Science Council, College of Experts 2015 - Present
  • Member, Archives of Environmental and Occupational Health, Editorial Board 2015 - Present
  • Member, ATS Terrorism and Inhalation Disasters Section, Executive Committee 2008 - Present
  • Member, NIOSH/World Trade Center Health Program Clinical Care Essentials Working Group 2021 - 2023
  • Chair, European Respiratory Society, Occupational and Environmental Health Group 2020 - 2023
  • Member, American Thoracic Society, Environmental, Occupational and Population Health, Program Committee 2020 - 2023
  • Member, American Thoracic Society, Program Review Subcommittee 2018 - 2020
  • Secretary, European Respiratory Society, Occupational and Environmental Health Group 2017 - 2020
  • Chair, International Commission on Occupational Health, Scientific Committee on Respiratory Disorders 2015 - 2022
  • Member, ICOH Working Group on the Implementation of the Global Strategy of Occupational Health for All-Asbestos Ban and Asbestos-related Diseases Elimination 2015 - 2022
  • Secretary, International Commission on Occupational Health, Scientific Committee on Respiratory Disorders 2012 - 2015

Research History

  • Principal Investigator, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in WTC Workers: Diagnoses and TransitionsThe goal of this proposal is to characterize the transitions into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among former workers and volunteers at the WTC disaster site.2017 - Present
  • Principal investigator, Pulmonary Diseases in WTC Workers and Volunteers: Symptoms, Function, and Chest CT Imaging CorrelatesInvestigation of qualitative and quantitative chest CT scan measurements to characterize the chronic lower airway diseases temporally associated with occupational WTC exposures, and investigate the adverse impact of obesity on those diseases.2012 - Present
  • Principal Investigator, Clinical Presentation of Adverse Health Effects of Occupational Exposures at the World Trade Center Disaster SiteThis project endeavors to describe the range of adverse health effects (particularly upper and lower airway disease, sleep disordered breathing, and gastroesophageal reflux disorders) presented by the workers and volunteers at the WTC disaster site in 2001-2002.2003 - Present

Professional Memberships

Other Languages

  • Spanish, French