Dr. Carlos Milla's research interests have centered on the inflammatory responses that lead to airway disease in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and the metabolic factors that contribute to CF lung disease progression. Current efforts are focused on the understanding of the early events that drive the development of lung disease through the study of infants with CF identified by newborn screening. This includes the development of new diagnostic tools that permit the early detection of lung disease manifestations.

Awarded in 2023
Home Department: Chemical Engineering
Faculty Advisors: Xiaojing Gao (Chemical Engineering) and Ngan Huang (Cardiothoracic Surgery)

Dr. Carla Pugh is Professor of Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. She is also the Director of the Technology Enabled Clinical Improvement (T.E.C.I.) Center. Her clinical area of expertise is Acute Care Surgery. Dr. Pugh obtained her undergraduate degree at U.C. Berkeley in Neurobiology and her medical degree at Howard University School of Medicine. Upon completion of her surgical training at Howard University Hospital, she went to Stanford University and obtained a PhD in Education. She is the first surgeon in the United States to obtain a PhD in Education.