Our Team

Meet our advanced lung specialists who specialize in COPD & Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency:

Steven Nathan, MD
Steven D. Nathan, MD
Specialty
Pulmonary Disease, Internal Medicine
Clinical Interests
Lung Problems and Treatment
Years of Experience
44
Alan Nyquist, MD
Alan S. Nyquist, MD
Specialty
Pulmonary Disease, Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Pediatrics
Years of Experience
12
Shambhu Aryal, MD
Shambhu Aryal, MD
Specialty
Pulmonary Disease, Critical Care Medicine, Internal Medicine
Years of Experience
20
Anne Whitney Brown, MD
Anne W. Brown, MD
Specialty
Pulmonary Disease, Critical Care Medicine
Clinical Interests
Lung Problems and Treatment
Years of Experience
22
Vikramjit Khangoora, MD
Vikramjit S. Khangoora, MD
Specialty
Pulmonary Disease, Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine
Years of Experience
13
Christopher King, MD
Christopher S. King, MD
Specialty
Critical Care Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, Internal Medicine
Years of Experience
23
Osman Malik, MD
Osman Malik, MD
Specialty
Critical Care Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, Internal Medicine
Years of Experience
29
Oksana Shlobin, MD
Oksana A. Shlobin, MD
Specialty
Critical Care Medicine, Pulmonary Disease
Clinical Interests
Lung Problems and Treatment
Years of Experience
26
Anju Singhal, MD
Anju L. Singhal, MD
Specialty
Critical Care Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics
Clinical Interests
Asthma, Lung Problems and Treatment
Years of Experience
16
Christopher Thomas, MD
Christopher A. Thomas, MD
Specialty
Critical Care Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, Internal Medicine
Years of Experience
10

COPD is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is often due to smoking but can be caused by other factors, including environmental exposures, a genetic abnormality called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, or even chronic severe asthma. It is characterized by incompletely reversible airflow obstruction despite treatment with bronchodilators. Some of the dominant features include chronic bronchitis, asthmatic bronchospasm and emphysema. In addition, patients often have shortness of breath with exertion, chronic cough and frequent bouts of bronchitis.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency is a rare genetic disorder passed on in families that can cause COPD. Alpha-1 is the most common genetic risk factor for COPD, but it is often first diagnosed as asthma or smoking-related COPD. About 3 percent of all people diagnosed with COPD may have undetected Alpha-1. Inova specializes in the detection and treatment of Alpha-1.