HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Dr. David Gozal, M.D., MBA, Ph.D. (Hon), vice president for health affairs and dean of the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University, was awarded the 2026 Assembly on Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Thoracic Society (ATS), honoring his outstanding contributions to the field of sleep neurobiology. 

Gozal was recognized during the ATS International Conference this month in Orlando, Florida. The annual award honors the career of individuals who have made both scientific and scholarly advances in the field of sleep or respiratory neurobiology, as well as mentoring, teaching and advocacy to advance public health. 

Gozal was previously honored by the ATS in 2021 with the Assembly on Pediatrics Lifetime Contributions to Pediatric Respiratory Medicine Award. He is the only person to be recognized with lifetime achievement awards by two different Assemblies of the ATS. 

An internationally recognized pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine researcher, Gozal has spent decades advancing scientific understanding of sleep disorders and their impact on children’s health. His groundbreaking work in sleep neurobiology has helped shape the field’s understanding of pediatric sleep apnea, cognitive dysfunction, inflammatory responses and the long-term health effects of sleep-disordered breathing. 

“Receiving this recognition from the American Thoracic Society is an incredible honor, particularly from colleagues and peers who have dedicated their careers to advancing respiratory and sleep health,” Gozal said. “Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work alongside extraordinary collaborators, trainees and mentors whose shared commitment to scientific discovery and improving patient outcomes has made this work deeply meaningful.” 

Gozal began his tenure as vice president for health affairs and dean of the Marshall School of Medicine in July 2023. Prior to joining Marshall, he served as the Marie M. and Harry L. Smith Endowed Chair and chair of the Department of Child Health at the University of Missouri, where he was also physician-in-chief of the University of Missouri Health Children’s Hospital. 

Before his work at Missouri, Gozal held leadership and faculty positions at Tulane University, the University of Louisville and the University of Chicago, among others. He has been a federally funded National Institutes of Health researcher since 1992 and is the recipient of dozens of honors and recognitions for his contributions to sleep medicine and pediatric research. 

Gozal earned his medical degree from Hebrew University of Jerusalem and completed a pediatric residency in Israel before pursuing fellowship training in pediatric pulmonology and sleep medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. He also earned MBA degrees from Georgetown University and ESADE in Barcelona, Spain. 

The American Thoracic Society is the world’s leading medical society dedicated to advancing respiratory health through research, education, patient care and advocacy.

Date Posted: Tuesday, May 26, 2026