Pallav Shah is Professor of Respiratory Medicine at Imperial College and Consultant Physician in Respiratory Medicine and General Internal Medicine. He is a lung specialist whose interest in interventional bronchoscopy began with a desire to improve the diagnosis and staging of patients with suspected lung cancer and also to improve palliation for patients with endobronchial disease. He initiated the interventional bronchoscopy course in an effort to spread these techniques as he is a strong believer in education as a means of improving patient care. The course which is now in its 20th year is an established annual event organised by at the Royal Brompton Hospital and the National Heart & Lung Institute. The event is held at the Royal Marsden Conference Centre.

Interventional bronchoscopy is rapidly expanding and the focus is broadening from cancer to the treatment of asthma and severe emphysema. Pallav Shah has been involved in the treatment of patients with moderate to severe asthma with bronchial thermoplasty (RISA & AIR2 trials). He is also involved in the development of novel bronchoscopic techniques for the treatment of severe emphysema. The options that are currently available include the Zephyr valve, Intrabronchial valve, PneumRx coils, Vapor therapy and the Exhale stent (used in Airway Bypass). His current research has extended to COPD with the development of targeted lung denervation and cryospray therapy with the ReJuvenair procedure.