Nicholas Hill, MED '73-'74 Chief of the Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Tufts Medical Center; Professor of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine

 

 

Nicholas Hill, MD, a distinguished professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, is a leading figure in pulmonary and critical care. He is the most recent chief of the Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division at Tufts Medical Center. Hill’s earlier research focused on how blood vessels in the lungs respond to low oxygen levels. These investigations led to work on natriuretic peptides that revealed their potential to help relax these blood vessels, paving the way for new treatments that could improve patient outcomes.

Hill’s research has also explored the role of various biological factors in pulmonary hypertension. His work in this area aims to develop innovative treatments that could prevent or reverse the damaging effects of low oxygen levels, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for affected patients. More recently, he has served in advisory roles for multiple clinical trials that have led to the development of a number of currently available treatments for pulmonary hypertension.

Additionally, Hill has made significant contributions to the field of noninvasive ventilation. His expertise has led to the optimization of noninvasive ventilatory support, which has transformed critical care practices. His team’s controlled trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of these techniques, reducing the need for invasive procedures and minimizing patient risks. Furthermore, Hill has been instrumental in pioneering studies on nasal high-flow therapy, which provides respiratory assistance in a less invasive manner, showing promising results in patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. 

Hill has over 230 peer-reviewed publications and over 180 other publications, including seven edited books. Throughout his career, Hill has received numerous accolades, including the Career Investigator Award from the NIH and the Eli Lilly Distinguished Scholar in Critical Care from the CHEST Foundation. He has been recognized as one of the Best Doctors in America and Best in Boston for more than 20 years. He has also received the Pulmonary Hypertension Association Award for Excellence in PAH (pulmonary arterial hypertension) Care, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pulmonary Circulation Assembly of the American Thoracic Society. His contributions to the field have also earned him a Distinguished Faculty Award from Tufts University School of Medicine.

Hill’s leadership extends beyond his clinical and educational roles. Most notably, he is a past president of the American Thoracic Society. He has also served on numerous national and international committees, contributing to the development of important guidelines in pulmonary medicine. He chairs the Steering Committee for the NIH/NHLBI PVDOMICs study, which aims to redefine pulmonary vascular disease through advanced molecular analysis. Furthermore, he has participated in multiple consensus conferences on noninvasive ventilation, helping shape best practices in the field. 

 

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