Dr. Asefa Mekonnen

Schar Chair, Advanced Lung Disease and Lung Transplant Medical Director, Advanced Lung Disease and Lung Transplant Program, Inova Schar Heart and Vascular Professor of Medical Education, University of Virginia, Inova CampusSteven D. Nathan, MD, FCCP, is the medical director of Inova’s Advanced Lung Disease Program and Lung Transplant Program. He is also a professor of medicine at the University of Virginia.Dr. Nathan is board certified in pulmonary diseases, critical care medicine and internal medicine. The author of more than 500 publications, Dr. Nathan is internationally recognized for his expertise in advanced lung diseases. He is co-editor of two books on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis that provide pulmonologists and other healthcare workers with an up-to-date review of the background and advances in the field: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Guide to Clinical Management of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. He also has written original research manuscripts, abstracts, reviews and book chapters. Dr. Nathan is a reviewer for multiple journals and is on the editorial board for the journal, Thorax. He has served on multiple committees, including U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory boards as well as steering committees for clinical trials in IPF and pulmonary hypertension, where he has also served as chair. Dr. Nathan is a member of several professional medical associations, including the American Thoracic Society, the American College of Chest Physicians, and the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. He has delivered talks and been chairperson of numerous sessions at many national and international conferences. Dr. Nathan is highly rated in 18 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Interstitial Lung Disease, Lung Transplant, and Prostatectomy.

Shambhu Aryal, MD, FCCP, serves as Medical Director for the Inova Lung Transplant Program and Inova Sarcoidosis Center. He is board certified in internal medicine, pulmonology and critical care, with expertise in lung transplantation, sarcoidosis, interstitial lung diseases, pulmonary hypertension and bronchiectasis. Dr. Aryal joined Inova in 2017 with several years of clinical experience, immediately following an assistant professorship at Duke University Hospital. Dr. Aryal says that helping patients get a second chance at life is the most fulfilling aspect of transplant pulmonology. His expertise in advanced lung disease management and transplantation equips him to provide the best possible medical care to patients with severe lung diseases. Additionally, he has served as a clinical investigator for many clinical trials in his areas of expertise. Originally from Nepal, Dr. Aryal resides in Northern Virginia with his wife and two boys. He enjoys time with his family, watching his sons' soccer and basketball games, and traveling. Dr. Aryal is highly rated in 13 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Interstitial Lung Disease, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Pulmonary Fibrosis, and Lung Transplant.

Whitney Brown, MD, is director of Clinical Operations and medical director of the Cystic Fibrosis and Bronchiectasis Program at Inova Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant Program at Inova Fairfax Hospital. Dr. Brown has been with the Inova Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant Program since 2010. She is board certified in pulmonary disease, critical care medicine and internal medicine Dr. Brown has a special interest in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), lung transplant outcomes and the care of adult cystic fibrosis patients. She enjoys conducting outcomes-based research and has co-authored two original research articles on IPF, one on prognosis in IPF and the other on the impact of hospitalization on IPF. Dr. Brown is a member of the American Thoracic Society and the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Dr. Brown is highly rated in 16 conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Interstitial Lung Disease, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Lung Transplant, and Endoscopy.