Charles Dela Cruz, MD, PhD
Associate Professor AdjunctCards
Additional Titles
Director, Center for Pulmonary Infection Research and Treatment (CPIRT)
Contact Info
Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
PO Box 208057, 300 Cedar Street
New Haven, CT 06520-8057
United States
About
Titles
Associate Professor Adjunct
Director, Center for Pulmonary Infection Research and Treatment (CPIRT)
Biography
Dr. Dela Cruz completed his research training through an MD/PhD program in the area of immunology and virology from University of Toronto and Yale. Clinically, he is trained in internal medicine, and specializes in pulmonary and critical care medicine and is currently an Associate Professor at Yale University in the same department. He is also the founding director for the Center for Pulmonary Infection Research and Treatment (CPIRT). www.cpirt.yale.edu. His laboratory is interested in studying the role of respiratory infection in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic lung diseases. Specifically, his work focuses on how lung infection contribute to inflammation, injury and tissue repair in the lung. This has allowed the lab to carefully study the molecular and cellular responses of several novel mediators in the lung.
His laboratory focuses on two main research programs. (1) Studying novel immune regulators in the lung during respiratory infections. (2) Studying the effects of cigarette smoke (CS) exposure in the pathogenesis of airway and lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using preclinical genetic mouse models and human biosamples. The goal of the lab is also to be able to confirm and translate the findings using biospecimens from the established and establishing cohort of human patients with various lung diseases.
COPD is a composite entity that includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is a leading cause of death in the world, and is a disease that is in need of new treatments. One of the goal of our laboratory is to investigate the interaction between CS and respiratory virus infection in the pathogenesis of COPD and identify novel therapeutic targets for this respiratory disease. It has been long thought that the frequent respiratory infections in COPD patients are due to their depressed immune function. Our studies have revealed that CS-exposed hosts have an over-exaggerated immune reaction to viral infections. Frequent acute COPD exacerbations correlate with increased rate of disease progression and more loss of lung function in COPD especially if it is due to viral infections. Our studies have shown that CS exposure has an impressive ability to regulate the innate immunity in the lung after influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. CS enhances the inflammation, alveolar destruction and airway fibrosis caused by influenza virus and RSV. These effects are mediated by type I interferon and RIG-like helicase antiviral innate immune pathway. CS exposure also results in the induction of interleukin-15 in the setting of these respiratory infections. We hypothesize that these novel mechanistic pathways may explain the heightened inflammatory response and worsening lung functions in COPD patients with multiple virally-induced exacerbations, and the chronic lung inflammation seen in stable COPD patients. We have also translated our findings by studying these immune mediators in patients infected with various respiratory viruses and have thus far collected >300 human biosamples.
YCCI Scholar 2011
Departments & Organizations
- ABIM Physician-Scientist Research Pathway
- Center for Infection and Immunity
- CPIRT - Center for Pulmonary Injury, Inflammation, Repair and Therapeutics
- Dela Cruz Lab
- Internal Medicine
- Winchester Center for Lung Disease
- Yale Stem Cell Center
- Yale Ventures
Education & Training
- Fellow
- Yale University School of Medicine (2009)
- Resident
- Yale University School of Medicine (2005)
- MD
- Yale University School of Medicine (2003)
- PhD
- University of Toronto (2000)
- BS
- University of Toronto (1994)
Research
Overview
Medical Research Interests
ORCID
0000-0002-5258-1797- View Lab Website
Dela Cruz Lab
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Lokesh Kumar Sharma, PhD
Naftali Kaminski, MD
Farida Ahangari, MD
Akiko Iwasaki, PhD
Albert Ko, MD
Wonnie Ryu, MD, MPH
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
Respiratory Tract Infections
Publications
2025
Impact of COVID-19 vaccination on symptoms and immune phenotypes in vaccine-naïve individuals with Long COVID
Grady C, Bhattacharjee B, Silva J, Jaycox J, Lee L, Silva Monteiro V, Sawano M, Massey D, Caraballo C, Gehlhausen J, Tabachnikova A, Mao T, Lucas C, Peña-Hernandez M, Xu L, Tzeng T, Takahashi T, Herrin J, Güthe D, Akrami A, Assaf G, Davis H, Harris K, McCorkell L, Schulz W, Griffin D, Wei H, Ring A, Guan L, Dela Cruz C, Krumholz H, Iwasaki A. Impact of COVID-19 vaccination on symptoms and immune phenotypes in vaccine-naïve individuals with Long COVID. Communications Medicine 2025, 5: 163. PMID: 40346201, PMCID: PMC12064684, DOI: 10.1038/s43856-025-00829-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsSpike protein-specific IgGProtein-specific IgGSelf-antigensImmune response to COVID-19 vaccinationCOVID-19 vaccineAntibody responseResponse to COVID-19 vaccinationT cell expansionSARS-CoV-2-specific antibody responsesAssociated with no improvementLong COVIDAssociated with symptom improvementChest painCirculating cytokinesImmune phenotypeProspective studyImmune featuresTransient improvementPrimary seriesVaccine doseHerpes virusImmune responseSymptom improvementSignificant elevationImpact of COVID-19 vaccinationQuestions and Answers about Measles
Pasnick S, Keller J, Dela Cruz C, Gross J, Carlos W, Maves R, Jamil S, Collins B, Sundar K. Questions and Answers about Measles. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2025, 211: p5-p6. DOI: 10.1164/rccm.v211i5p5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEpidermal Growth Factor Protects Lung Epithelial Cells After Injury
Tolman N, Chen K, Shi J, Shiva S, Dela Cruz C, Kliment C, Alder J, Lee J, Bain W. Epidermal Growth Factor Protects Lung Epithelial Cells After Injury. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2025, 211: a1084-a1084. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.2025.211.abstracts.a1084.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLower Respiratory Tract C. Albicans Induces Lung Injury in Mice and Associates With Lung Injury Endpoints in Humans
Tolman N, Choi W, Alder J, Tabary M, Qin S, Wang X, Zhang Y, Tu Y, Sharma L, Bon J, Robinson K, Snyder M, Dela Cruz C, Nguyen M, Morris A, Biswas P, Bain W, Kitsios G. Lower Respiratory Tract C. Albicans Induces Lung Injury in Mice and Associates With Lung Injury Endpoints in Humans. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2025, 211: a2825-a2825. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.2025.211.abstracts.a2825.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsProbabilities Over Binaries: Refining Inflammatory Sub-phenotypes in Acute Respiratory Failure
Venkatesan N, Shah F, Nouraie M, Bain W, Dela Cruz C, Mcverry B, Kitsios G. Probabilities Over Binaries: Refining Inflammatory Sub-phenotypes in Acute Respiratory Failure. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2025, 211: a3138-a3138. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.2025.211.abstracts.a3138.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDichotomous Effects of TLR9 on Early Inflammation and Viral Clearance Dictates Recovery From Influenza Infection
Kim J, Yuan Y, Agaronyan K, Zhao A, Bain W, Evankovich J, Dela Cruz C, Ryu C, Sharma L. Dichotomous Effects of TLR9 on Early Inflammation and Viral Clearance Dictates Recovery From Influenza Infection. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2025, 211: a4707-a4707. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.2025.211.abstracts.a4707.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAcute Exacerbation of Interstitial Lung Disease Is Associated With Significantly Increased Mortality Compared to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Despite Lower Systemic Inflammation
Deberry J, Kitsios G, Bain W, Sharma L, Dela Cruz C, Seedahmed M, Zhang Y, Kass D, Valenzi E, Mcverry B, Shah F. Acute Exacerbation of Interstitial Lung Disease Is Associated With Significantly Increased Mortality Compared to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Despite Lower Systemic Inflammation. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2025, 211: a5653-a5653. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.2025.211.abstracts.a5653.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchElectronic Cigarettes Exaggerate Influenza A Virus-induced Cell Death in Alveolar Epithelial Cells
Villandre J, Chandler M, Tuncer F, Tuncer B, Lear T, Sharma L, Chen B, Dela Cruz C, Evankovich J. Electronic Cigarettes Exaggerate Influenza A Virus-induced Cell Death in Alveolar Epithelial Cells. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2025, 211: a6602-a6602. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.2025.211.abstracts.a6602.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchChitotriosidase in Influenza Lung Infection
Kim J, Amick A, Villandre J, Bain W, Evankovich J, Sharma L, Dela Cruz C. Chitotriosidase in Influenza Lung Infection. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2025, 211: a7920-a7920. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.2025.211.abstracts.a7920.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRapid Metagenomic Sequencing (RaMSes) of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid for Diagnosis of Infection in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies and Pulmonary Complications
Hensley M, Sayed K, Haidar G, Wang X, Benos P, Ito S, Im A, Geramita E, Shlomchik W, Methé B, Dela Cruz C, Morris A, Kitsios G. Rapid Metagenomic Sequencing (RaMSes) of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid for Diagnosis of Infection in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies and Pulmonary Complications. CHEST Pulmonary 2025, 100173. DOI: 10.1016/j.chpulm.2025.100173.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPulmonary complicationsHematologic malignanciesRespiratory pathogensCulture-independent sequencing approachesDetection of fungal pathogensNon-infectious pulmonary complicationsSuspected lower respiratory tract infectionLower respiratory tract infectionsCulture-independent sequencing methodsRespiratory tract infectionsBronchoalveolar lavage fluidDiagnosis of infectionEmpirical antimicrobialsPCR-based testsTract infectionsFungal pathogensMetagenomic sequencingClinical manifestationsSequencing approachLavage fluidMicrobial communitiesCohort studySequencing methodsPatientsComplications
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Activities
activity Fishman’s Pulmonary Diseases and Disorders
2019 - PresentJournal ServiceEditoractivity Frontiers in Immunology
2019 - PresentJournal ServiceGuest Editoractivity Clinics in Chest Medicine, Viral and Atypical Pneumonia
2016 - PresentJournal ServiceGuest Editoractivity Plos One
2013 - PresentJournal ServiceAssociate Editoractivity Frontiers in Respiratory Pharmacology
2011 - PresentJournal ServiceReviewer
Honors
honor Elected Chair, Gordon Conference, Biology of Acute Lung Infections; Vice-chair (2022)
02/08/2021National AwardDetailsUnited Stateshonor Chair, NHLBI, Lung Cellular and Molecular Immunity (LCMI) Study Section
02/19/2020National AwardDetailsUnited Stateshonor co-Editors, Fishman’s Pulmonary Diseases and Disorders, 6e, Michael A. Grippi, Robert M. Kotloff, Allan I. Pack, Charles S. Dela Cruz, Camille Kotton, Danielle Antin-Ozerkis
02/12/2019National AwardDetailsUnited Stateshonor American Thoracic Society (ATS) Fellow
08/06/2018National AwardDetailsUnited Stateshonor Pulmonary Infection and Tuberculosis (PI-TB) Mid-Level Career Award
08/01/2018National AwardAmerican Thoracic Society (ATS)DetailsUnited States
News & Links
News
- August 25, 2023
Medical Students Honored by American College of Physicians
- June 27, 2023
Drs. Silvia Vilarinho, Andrew Wang Named Physician Scientist Training Program Leadership
- May 22, 2023
Britto-Leon Receives Carol Basbaum Award
- April 24, 2023
Internal Medicine Residency: What Medical Students Should Know
Get In Touch
Contacts
Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
PO Box 208057, 300 Cedar Street
New Haven, CT 06520-8057
United States
Locations
The Anlyan Center
Academic Office
300 Cedar Street, Ste S441
New Haven, CT 06519
Appointments
203.785.3627Fax
203.785.5952