Dr. George O’Connor

Director, Adult Asthma Program Professor of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA

George O'Connor

My research focuses on epidemiology, including genetic epidemiology, and clinical investigations of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and sleep apnea. I have been the Boston University principal investigator of several NIH-funded multi-center investigations, currently including the Sleep Heart Health Study and the Inner-City Asthma Consortium (ICAC). Our ICAC studies include clinical trials in children and adolescents with asthma and a birth-cohort study examining the risk factors for asthma and allergy in the inner city. I also conduct epidemiologic and genetic epidemiologic research at the Framingham Heart Study, including genome-wide association studies seeking novel genetic determinants of lung function impairment and atopy. I am collaborating with the Pulmonary Center’s Bioinformatics program in studies of alterations in gene expression related to tobacco smoking and COPD. In addition, I am collaborating with investigators in BU’s College of Engineering in studies of innovative approaches to physiologic assessment in asthma and to mechanical ventilation in acute lung injury. My research spans disciplines including adult medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, epidemiology, genetics and genomics, immunology, and engineering. I direct the adult asthma program at Boston Medical Center. My outpatient practice focuses on adults with asthma, COPD, and bronchiectasis.

Contact Information

725 Albany Street
9th floor, Suite 9B
Boston, MA 02118
Phone: (617) 638-7480
Fax: (617) 638-7486

Research Role

Collaborator