CHICAGO — Respiratory Health Association (RHA) is proud to name Nirupama Putcha, MD, MHS the recipient of the 2026 Solovy Award for Advancement in COPD. Dr. Putcha is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, with a joint appointment as Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and serves as an attending physician at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
“We are truly excited to recognize Dr. Putcha for her dedication and work on behalf of COPD patients everywhere. More than 16 million people in the US alone are diagnosed with COPD, causing billions in healthcare costs and immense burden on patients and their families,” said Rob Anderson, RHA President and CEO. “Continuing to support the important work of Dr. Putcha is important to help spark breakthroughs that can change lives.”
The Solovy Award was established in memory of Mr. Jerold Solovy by his wife, Kathleen Hart Solovy, and funded by the Kathleen Hart Solovy and Jerold S. Solovy Endowment for COPD. This award aims to reduce the burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and inspire innovation among lung researchers.
Dr. Putcha will be granted $25,000 to further her COPD research. This funding will allow Dr. Putcha to pursue innovative approaches and breakthroughs that will positively impact the lives of those affected by COPD.
“The home is a place where we spend most of our time, but if we don’t really think about what’s in our home environment, we may not catch the things that impact our health.” states Dr. Putcha.
Dr. Putcha is an internationally recognized expert in COPD epidemiology whose work is advancing our understanding of how environmental exposures, particularly allergen exposures and air quality, impact disease risk and progression. She has led and contributed to several major multicenter studies, and her NIH-funded research also explores the intersection of COPD with other chronic conditions. Dr. Putcha is leading one of the first clinical trials using environmental exposures to personalize advanced treatments to try to improve outcomes for people living with COPD.
Each year, RHA awards early-stage research grants to promising projects covering lung cancer and COPD. Learn more about the RHA research program and funding opportunities at RespHealth.org/Research.
About Respiratory Health Association
RHA has been a local public health leader in Chicago since 1906. RHA works to prevent lung disease, promote clean air, and help people live better through education, research, and policy change.