Thomas Ferkol, M.D. is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. An American Lung Association Edward Livingston Trudeau Scholar and recipient of the Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Foundation Golden Cilium Award, his research has largely focused on the development of cell and animal models to study cystic fibrosis and primary ciliary dyskinesia, defining genetic and molecular factors that contribute to chronic airway infection, inflammation, and epithelial injury with almost 30-years of continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Ferkol currently co-leads the NIH-supported Genetic Disorders of Mucociliary Clearance Consortium, an established, multicenter collaborative that is defining the genetics and pathophysiology of inherited, suppurative lung diseases. He has served on numerous international review groups and study sections, and written or co-authored over 200 original articles, scholarly reviews, and book chapters. Finally, Dr. Ferkol was President of the American Thoracic Society, only the second pediatrician to serve in this capacity during the 120-year history of the organization.

Prof. Eitan Kerem, born and educated in Jerusalem, graduated from the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, and completed his pediatric residency in Jerusalem, following by a fellowship in pediatric respiratory diseases at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. From 2011 to 2020 he acted as the Chairman of Pediatrics at the Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem. In 2005, with a mission of improving the care of children with chronic diseases and promoting their medical and ethical right’s aspects, Prof. Kerem funded the Center for Children with Chronic Diseases. The center integrates all the services needed for the treatment of chronically ill children and is based on a unique, holistic approach for both the affected child and his family. The center has grown to be a well-known role-model for training colleague health providers and staff members. Prof. Kerem has published many papers in this field and is known for his advocacy for children in need. Prof. Kerem’s interest is in the field of cystic fibrosis (CF). He served as a principal investigator in many national and international multi-center clinical trials and is an author of key publications in the field. His interest in Cystic Fibrosis spans all aspects of the condition and recently he is focusing on the clinical aspects of drug development to cure CF. Being well-known in his field, Prof. Kerem served as a Board member of The European CF Society, being in charge of the development of the ECFS Patient Registry, which has allowed investigators to survey and compare aspects of cystic fibrosis and its treatment, thereby providing data for multicenter epidemiological and clinical research trials. Prof. Kerem has a record of building bridges between Israelis and Palestinians. This includes training programs for Palestinian residents and fellows, and organizing collaborative seminars and workshops. Prof. Kerem accomplished a project to build a CF-centre in Gaza. For his humanitarian activities and his contribution to pediatircs Prof. Kerem received the prestigious Ordine Della Stella Della Solidarieta Italiana Award. In 2010 he received the “Shalem” award bestowed by the Israeli National Foundation for the development of services for individuals with intellectual disabilities. In 2014, the ECFS Award was presented to Prof. Kerem, acknowledging his substantial and remarkable contribution to cystic fibrosis research. In 2016 he received Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, UK. In 2023 he received the life achievement award from the Israel Society of Clinical Pediatrics.