Dr. Curtis is Head of the Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Washington’s Harborview Medical Center and the A. Bruce Montgomery – American Lung Association Endowed Chair in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Curtis is also the Director of the UW Palliative Care Center of Excellence. He has over 15 years of funding from the NIH and numerous foundations for his research, which focuses on improving palliative and end-of-life care for patients with critical illness and patients with chronic and life-limiting illnesses. He has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed research articles and 100 editorials and chapters. He has received numerous awards for his research from professional societies and served as the President of the American Thoracic (2009-2010).