Understanding the biology behind COPD is changing what treatment can achieve. In this second episode of Season 8, Dr. Stephanie Christenson brings her background as a physician-scientist to a practical conversation about how biologics work, who benefits most, and what community physicians need to know to start using them confidently. For a broader overview of COPD care and patient resources, visit the COPD hub on chroniclungdiseases.com.

About This Episode

COPD has long been managed as a condition to be controlled rather than meaningfully altered. That view is shifting. As research into airway biology has advanced, it has become clear that COPD is a heterogeneous disease, and that targeting the right inflammatory pathway in the right patient can produce outcomes that were not previously possible.

In this episode, Dr. Christenson walks through the biology of airway inflammation in COPD, how aging and environmental exposures shape disease presentation, and why eosinophil counts have become a practical tool for identifying biologic candidates. She also covers the clinical trial evidence behind emerging therapies such as COPD biologics, real-world challenges including inhaler adherence and technique, and how community physicians can begin incorporating them into their practice. The conversation closes with an honest look at what the future of personalized airway disease treatment may hold.

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always apply clinical judgment and refer to current guidelines when making treatment decisions for individual patients.

Today You Will Learn

• Why understanding airway biology is foundational to selecting the right COPD treatment
• How aging, smoking history, and environmental exposures contribute to inflammation heterogeneity in COPD
• How to use blood eosinophil counts as a practical biomarker for identifying biologic candidates
• What the clinical trial evidence shows about the efficacy and safety of emerging biologics in COPD

Our Special Guest

Dr. Stephanie Christenson is a physician-scientist at the University of California, San Francisco, where she applies her training in computational biology to the study of chronic airway diseases. She has spent her career investigating the biological underpinnings of COPD, with a focus on airway inflammation, patient subgroup heterogeneity, and the clinical application of biomarkers.

Dr. Christenson’s research has contributed to a deeper understanding of how different inflammatory phenotypes in COPD can respond to targeted therapies. Her work bridges the gap between basic biology and clinical practice, helping translate findings from trials like BOREAS and NOTUS into actionable guidance for treating physicians.

In addition to her research, Dr. Christenson sees patients with complex airway disease and has direct clinical experience integrating biologics into COPD management, including navigating real-world challenges such as patient selection, biomarker interpretation, and treatment adherence.

Resources to go deeper

• GOLD Report on COPD Management
• BOREAS Trial Details
• NOTUS Trial Details
• European Respiratory Society (ERS)
• CTS COPD Pharmacotherapy Guidelines
• Living Well with COPD Series

Sponsor and Collaborating Organizations

RESPIPLUS™ received sponsorship support from Sanofi and Regeneron for this podcast series.