Department of Pulmonary Medicine

Dr. DJ Christopher

Title : Professor of Pulmonary Medicine

Educational Qualifications & Honorary titles:

BSc in Chemistry from the Madurai Kamaraj University, India (May 80)
MBBS from The Christian Medical College, Vellore India (Aug 86)
DTCD (Diploma course in Chest Diseases & Tuberculosis) at the Madras Medical College, affiliated to the Dr. MGR Medical University Madras, India (Apr 92)
Dip NB (Diplomate of The National Boarding Respiratory Diseases) by the National Board of examinations, New-Delhi, India (Nov 92)
FCCP (Fellow of the College of Chest Physicians) by the American College of Chest Physicians, USA (Jun 99)
Advanced training in Respiratory Medicine, University of Adelaide, South Australia (Jan 2000)
FRCP (Fellow Of the Royal College of Physicians) by the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons, Glasgow, UK (July, 2007)
FICS (Fellow of the Indian Chest Society; Nov 2013)
FAPSR(Fellow of the Asia Pacific Society of Respirology; Jul 2016)

Current Positions:

Member, Respiratory Research Network, PURE foundation (from Apr 2021)
Chair (India), Publications committee, RePORT consortium Indo-US TB research collaboration – (from Mar 2021)
Chair, Research committee, Indian Chest Society (from Mar 2021)
Immediate Past President, Indian Chest society (from Jan 2021)
Steering committee member, R2D2 Network for research in novel TB diagnostics (based in University of California, San Francisco, from Jan 2021)
Technical expert specialist cell on Health Benefit Packages, Standard Treatment Guidelines, Medical audit and Quality of care by National Health Authority under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogyra Yojana (AB PM-JAY) (from 8 Oct 20)
Member- World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 Respiratory Support Working Group(Jul 2020)
Member of the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 Clinical Management and Characterization Research Working group (from Jun 2020)
Executive committee member of RePORT International coordinating Centre, for global coordination of various national RePORT TB consortia (from May 2020)
Researcher, Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) the largest and most comprehensive effort to date to measure epidemiological levels and trends worldwide
Member Specialist committee(Pulmonology) of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana(AB PM-JAY) a flagship scheme of Government of India(From Jun, 2019)
Expert committee member(Anti-infectives), Standing National Committee on Medicine (SNCM) for revision of National List of Essential medicines (NLEM), Department of Health & Family Welfare (Drugs Regulation Section), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India(from Oct 2019)
Indian council of medical research (ICMR) expert committee member to create Standard treatment flows (STWs) for pulmonary diseases for healthcare systems in India (from Oct, 2018).
Member of the ‘Expert Group on Tuberculosis’. Department of Biotechnology(DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology(from Aug 2016)
Member of the ‘TB Working Group Expert Panel’ of the India TB Research consortium of the Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) (from Sept 2016)
Member of the Volunteer Infection Research Consortium, the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute(THSTI) (from Jul 2019)
Course Director, Diploma in Allergy and Asthma Distance Education Program -Endorsed by American Association of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology & University of Colorado, Denver (from 2006)
Professor of Pulmonary Medicine, The Christian Medical College & Hospital, Vellore, India (from Nov 2001)

Previous positions held:

Past President, Indian Chest Society (Jan 2021 – Apr 2022)
President, Indian Chest Society (Nov 2019 – Jan 2021)
President-elect, Indian Chest Society (from Nov 2018- Nov 2019)
Occupied Ida Scudder Endowed Clinical Research Chair (from June 18 – Jun 20)
Chair (Indian) of the US-Indo TB research consortium for regional prospective observational research for tuberculosis (RePORT) initiative (Sept 2015 – Feb19)
Zonal Chairman (South Zone) of Indian Chest Society (Nov 2014 – Nov 18)
Member Scientific advisory committee of the ICMR (2017-19)
Associate Director (HR), The Christian Medical College & Hospital, Vellore, India (2012-16)
Co-chair(Indian) of the US-Indo TB research consortium for regional prospective observational research for tuberculosis (RePORT) initiative(Mar 2014-Sept15)
President (and co-founder) of the Indian Association of Respiratory Care (2011-2013)
Vice-President (and co-founder) of the Indian Association of Respiratory Care (2009-2011)
Deputy Medical superintendent, Christian Medical College, Vellore (2006 -10)
Head of the department of Pulmonary Medicine, CMC, Vellore (2000 to Feb 2020)

Awards:

Lupin- TAI Oration Award at 76th National Conference on Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases (NATCON-2021), held at Ambala, Haryana (11th to 13th April 2022), by the Tuberculosis Association of India
Dr.S.N.Tripathi Presidential Oration, awarded by the Indian Chest Society(1-3 Apr 2022) .
Listed by the Stanford University as among the top 2% scientists of the World (Nov 2021). One among 10 Respiratory scientists in the list from India. Highest cited Respiratory Scientist from India.
Dr Sheldon Spector oration at Allergocon 2020 at the Christian Medical College, Vellore (9 Jan 2020
Prof. Dr. M. Viswanathan Oration at the Research Society for the study of Diabetes in India at the Annual conference held at Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, India (10Aug2019)
CME Excellence Dronacharya Award for exceptional CME contribution in Pulmonary & Respiratory medicine, during the CME Excellence Summit & Awards organized by the Integrated Health & Wellness council, in collaboration with Omnicuris (India’s largest CME platform), CNN News 18 & other partners(8 Aug 2019)
Dr. Christian Frimodt Moller Memorial Oration during the 36th Andhra Pradesh TB & Chest Diseases Conference at AMC, Madanapally, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu (10 Nov 2018)

Competitive research grant as part of Indo-US vaccine action program (VAP) collaboration for ‘Regional prospective observational research for tuberculosis’ (RePORT) initiative under the aegis of NIH, USA, CRDF global & DBT, India(2013).
Senior training travel fellowship, Christian Medical College, Vellore (2013)
Awarded ‘Rising stars in global health care’ by Grand challenges, Canada & Gates foundation (2011)
Best research poster presented, annual research day, CMC, Vellore(2011)
Dr OA Sharma oration award by the Indian Chest Society (2009)
Admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Glasgow (2007)
Co-founder of the Indian association of respiratory care (2006)
International travel Fellowship by the American Association of Respiratory Care (2005)
Research-Training Fellowship by the Raj Nanda Pulmonary Disease Research Trust & The British Thoracic Society, for training in The United Kingdom (1997)
Commendation for the quality of the paper presented at the 16th National Congress on Respiratory Diseases held at Bangalore, India in December 1996 for the free paper entitled “Talc Slurry VS Tetracycline for the pleurodesis of malignant pleural effusion”
“Best paper” award in the Award Session of the 13th National Congress on Respiratory Diseases held at Madras, Southern India in January 1994 for the free paper entitled “Our experience with blind pleural biopsy using a Tru-cut Needle”

Expert & guidelines committee memberships:

Member, Indian Chest Society & National College of Chest Physicians guidelines committee on EBUS, coordinated by AIIMS, New Delhi (Apr 2022)
Member, Pulmonology guidelines on bronchoscopy during COVID times, Indian Association of Broncology & Interventional pulmonology(2021)
Member expert committee for Pulmonary function testing for COVID-19 (2021)
Chairman, guidelines committee on Pleural diseases Indian Chest Society & National College of Chest (Oct, 2019)
Member, expert committee to create Standard treatment flows (STWs) for pulmonary diseases for healthcare systems in India. Indian council of medical research (ICMR) (Oct – Dec, 2018).
Member, Scientific advisory committee (SAC) in Tuberculosis, ICMR (Oct 2016 to Oct 18).
Member, Indian Chest Society & National College of Chest Physicians guidelines committee on Nebulizer therapy
Member, Indian Chest Society & National College of Chest Physicians guidelines committee on basic Bronchoscopy
Member, Indian Chest Society, Indian Association of Broncology & National College of Chest Physicians guidelines committee on Bronchoscopy
Member, Indian Chest Society & National College of Chest Physicians guidelines committee on ILD
Member, Indian Chest Society & National College of Chest Physicians guidelines committee on Spirometry
Member Indian Chest Society & National College of Chest Physicians guidelines committee on COPD
Member Indian Chest Society & National College of Chest Physicians guidelines committee on Pneumonia

Training positions held (Overseas):

Registrar in the Respiratory Medicine department, The University College London Hospitals (Middlesex Hospital), United Kingdom (6 months, 1997)
Registrar and Advanced Trainee in Respiratory Medicine, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, Australia (2 years, 1998-2000)

Academic positions held (Overseas):

Lecturer in Medicine, The University of Adelaide, South Australia (1 year, 1999-2000)
Fellow in Respiratory Medicine, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia (6 months, 2000)

Advanced Training Fellowships (overseas):

Interventional bronchoscopy(rigid bronchoscopy & airway stenting) at hospital Nord, Marseille, France (5 weeks, 2013)
International travel fellowship of the American Association of Respiratory Care, Burlington, Vermont; Cleveland, Ohio and San Antonio, Texas.in the United States of America (3 weeks, 2005)
In Therapeutic Bronchoscopy (laser bronchoscopy, airway stenting and brachytherapy) at the University College London Hospitals, United Kingdom (6 months, 1997)

Professional societies, intra & extra-institutional meetings(Organizing Chairman):

The second National Congress on Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (Jan 2020)
National Pleural Effusion guidelines workshop aegis of Indian Chest Society & National College of Chest Physicians (11,12 Oct 2019)
First Indian Chest Society National Talent Search Contest( Sept 2019)
The first Bronchoscopy Workshop & Course (June 2019 )
The second Medical Thoracoscopic and Pleural techniques Workshop & Course (Apr 2019)
The first National Congress on Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (Jan 2019)
The first Thoracoscopic and Pleural techniques workshop (Apr 2018)
The first Thoracic Ultrasound workshop (July 2018)
The first C-PET (Cardio Pulmonary Exercise Testing) Workshop (Mar 2018)
The National conference of Broncology & Interventional pulmonology(Mar 2017)
The First Basic Bronchoscopy & Thoracoscopy workshop (18, 19 Oct 2016)
The National conference of Broncology & Interventional pulmonology- Broncocon (Mar 2017)
The Winter symposium, the annual scientific meeting to further research in CMC, on ‘Advances in TB research’ (Feb 2016)
The first National conference on occupational health (2015)
The first Spirometry workshop (2014)
The first National conference on hospital safety and occupational health (2014)
The first conference on respiratory care in India (2013)
The first American College of Chest Physicians (Indian Chapter) congress on Interventional pulmonology (Jan 2011)
The first conference on respiratory care in India (2006)

Publications:

Researchgate:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Devasahayam-Christopher/publications?sorting=recentlyAdded&editMode=1

Google citations: https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=en&user=y-uKBlkAAAAJ

Chapters in books:

D J Christopher, Jefferson Daniel (Oct 2021). Allergy Testing. In book: Clinical Allergy and Asthma Management in Adolescents and Young Adults.. DOI: 10.1201/9781003125785-10
H Paramesh D J Christopher, and Jyothi S.Menon (Oct 2021) ‘Air Pollution, Climate change and the Health sector’. In ‘Climate Change and the Health Sector – Healing the World’.
FCL Hoyte, DJ Christopher, RK Katial (2020). ‘Pulmonary Function Testing’. In ‘Textbook of Allergy for the Clinician-2^nd Edition’, ed. Vedanthan PK. CRC press.
Balamugesh Thangakunam and D J Christopher (2020). ‘Asthma and COPD—Similarities and Differences’. In ‘Textbook of Allergy for the Clinician’, ed. Vedanthan PK. CRC press.
Christopher DJ (2017) ‘Empyema and parapneumonic effusion’. In ‘Text book of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine’, ed. SK Jindal. Jaypee brothers medical publishers.
Christopher DJ, Gupta R (2017) ‘Pulmonary thromboembolism’. In Text book of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, ed. SK Jindal. Jaypee brothers medical publishers.
DJ Christopher, Balamugesh Thangakunam. ‘Advances in Asthma management’. In ‘Progress in Medicine 2016’ Vol 26, Ed. Gurpreet S Wander & KK Pareek. Jaypee brothers medical publishers (P) Ltd.
DJ Christopher, Richa Gupta ‘Pulmonary thromboembolism’. In World Clinics – Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine. (Jan, 2016) Vol 4(1), ed. Jindal SK, Guleria R. Jaypee brothers medical publishers.
Flavia C.L. Hoyte, Devasahayam J. Christopher and Rohit K. Katial(2013). ‘Pulmonary Function Testing’. In ‘Textbook of Allergy for the Clinician’, ed. Vedanthan PK. CRC press.
Balamugesh Thangakunam and Devasahayam J Christopher (2013). ‘Asthma and COPD—Similarities and Differences’. In ‘Textbook of Allergy for the Clinician’, ed. Vedanthan PK. CRC press.
Christopher DJ (2011) ‘Empyema and parapneumonic effusion’. In ‘Handbook of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine’, ed. SK Jindal. Jaypee brothers medical publishers.
Christopher DJ, Richa Gupta (2011) ‘Pulmonary thromboembolism’. In Handbook of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, ed. SK Jindal. Jaypee brothers medical publishers.
Christopher DJ (2010) ‘Empyema and parapneumonic effusion’. In ‘Text book of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine’, ed. SK Jindal. Jaypee brothers medical publishers.
Christopher DJ, Gupta R (2010) ‘Pulmonary thromboembolism’. In Text book of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, ed. SK Jindal. Jaypee brothers medical publishers.
Christopher DJ (2002) “Consensus on Ambulatory Management of Asthma in Children”. In ‘Promoting childhood wellbeing – Vellore Experiences’, ed MC Mathew
Christopher DJ, Ruffin RE (2001) “Pulmonary Embolism”. In ‘Essential Guide to Geriatric Practice’, ed. R.N. Ratnaike. McGraw-Hill.