Bruce Trapnell, M.D.

Dr. Bruce Trapnell is Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati, Director of the Translational Pulmonary Science Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), Co-Director of the Rare Lung Diseases Clinical Research Consortium (RLDC), and Scientific Director of the Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis Foundation. He trained in biochemistry, genetics, general medicine, internal medicine, and pulmonary medicine before serving as Senior Investigator and Attending Physician at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He then joined Genetic Therapy Inc./Novartis Pharma, where he established the Division of Virology and Pulmonary Studies and served as its Director and Vice President. After relocating to Cincinnati in 1997, his research has focused on developing pathogenesis-based diagnostics and therapeutics for rare lung diseases including cystic fibrosis (CF), alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP), among others.

Dr. Trapnell established and directed the Cystic Fibrosis Therapeutics Development Network Center at CCHMC, leading clinical trials that resulted in FDA-approval of Creon® and Pancreaze® for CF patients. He co-founded and directed the Rare Lung Diseases Consortium and contributed to the RLDC-based MILES clinical trial, which led to FDA approval of Sirolimus® as a therapy for LAM. His group helped determine the pathogenesis of autoimmune PAP, developed a highly accurate blood-based diagnostic test for the disease, and served as international coordinating investigator on the IMPALA and IMPALA-2 clinical trials evaluating molgramostim therapy for autoimmune PAP. Dr. Trapnell also co-founded the PAP Foundation and partnered with the National Organization of Rare Diseases (NORD) to co-host an Externally-Led Patient-Focused Drug Development meeting bringing the autoimmune PAP patient voice directly to the FDA.