Our Achievements

PERF supported the establishment of the Rehabilitation Clinical Trials Center (RCTC) in 1998 at the Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center(formerly LA BioMed).

In 2022 PERF dissolved and created the “Pulmonary and Exercise Research Fund” at the Lundquist Institute, which is dedicated to research and education of conditions characterized by shortness-of-breath or exercise intolerance. Read more about the work of the Respiratory Research Center at the Lundquist Institute here.

PERF has facilitated major contributions…

Established the Grancell/Burns Chair of Rehabilitative Sciences Research

Demonstrated that vigorous exercise training is capable of markedly improving exercise tolerance, even in patients with severe lung disease

Expanded the understanding of the utility of oxygen therapy for COPD patients

Investigated new oxygen conservation strategies to improve the utility of ambulatory oxygen therapy

Evaluated new bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory drugs intended to improve lung function and exercise tolerance in COPD patients

Demonstrated that pursed lip breathing can increase oxygen saturation of patients with obstructive or restrictive lung diseases, as well as in those with normal lung function at various altitudes

Showed that an appetite stimulant was effective in increasing body weight in underweight COPD patients

Demonstrated that anabolic drugs can increase muscle size and strength in men with obstructive lung disease

Helped spread pulmonary rehabilitation and the use of oxygen around the world

Helped those who use supplemental oxygen to be allowed on ships and planes or access other activities that they were not allowed previously to enjoy

PERF board members have published over 700 research articles in the fields of pulmonary medicine and exercise sciences. Research achievements can be found at the National Library of Medicine by following this link.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is one of the most effective treatments for COPD, but only 2% of medicare-eligible patients actually undertake a program

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Support the PERF Mission

The Pulmonary Education and Research Foundation (PERF) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that was formed from a passion to improve the outlook for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), through research into pulmonary rehabilitation and other patient-centered therapies. Over time, this purpose has adapted to include other diseases where shortness-of-breath and exercise intolerance are hallmark symptoms.

PERF publishes a free blog, and responds to reader’s questions and concerns, for those who experience breathing difficulties or exercise limitations.

For more information visit us on the web at https://perf2ndwind.org/.