Professor Jadwiga Anna Wisia Wedzicha stands as a preeminent leader in respiratory medicine and a globally recognized authority on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She currently serves as Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, where she also heads the Respiratory Division. Educated at Somerville College, Oxford University and St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, University of London, she has established an exceptional career bridging clinical practice and cutting-edge research over several decades. Her leadership extends to directing an active research group specializing in COPD exacerbations while maintaining her clinical practice at one of the world's leading pulmonary research institutions.
Professor Wedzicha's seminal research on COPD exacerbations has fundamentally transformed understanding of this debilitating condition through her investigations into causes, mechanisms, and prevention strategies. Her pioneering work on the role of bacterial and viral infections in COPD exacerbations has established new clinical paradigms and informed global treatment guidelines. The BEACON COPD Study, which she led, demonstrated the power of advanced techniques to detect small airway disease in 30-45 year old smokers who would otherwise remain undiagnosed by traditional methods, revealing early COPD in previously asymptomatic populations. With over 130 original publications and 160 invited reviews to her name, her research has received continuous funding and directly influenced clinical practices for millions of patients worldwide.
Beyond her research achievements, Professor Wedzicha has profoundly shaped the global respiratory medicine landscape through influential editorial and leadership positions that have steered the direction of the field for two decades. She served as Editor-in-Chief of Thorax from 2002 to 2010 and subsequently as Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine from 2015 to 2021, positions that established her as a gatekeeper of scientific excellence in respiratory research. Her expertise has been instrumental in national healthcare initiatives including chairing the English Department of Health Home Oxygen Clinical User Group and serving on the Guideline Development Group for NICE COPD Guidelines. As a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and NIHR Senior Investigator, she continues to mentor the next generation of respiratory scientists while advancing innovative approaches to early COPD detection and management, cementing her legacy as one of the most influential pulmonologists of her generation.
