Mario Perez, M.P.H. 
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine | University of Connecticut
Farmington, CT, UNITED STATES
Clinical Interest: The use and implementation of protocols in the management of patient in the intensive care unit.
Biography
I continue pursuing a career in academic medicine with the goal of becoming an independent translational researcher in pulmonary and critical care medicine. I believe that understanding the local inflammatory response triggered by noxious stimuli such as conventional and electronic cigarettes that leads to the development of pulmonary diseases will provide much needed information for regulatory bodies around the country. In addition, better understanding of the inflammatory pathways associated with tobacco products could lead to the discovery of biomarkers that could identify patients at higher risk of smoking related diseases and novel therapeutic targets.
Currently I am working on generating preliminary data to apply for a K award through the NIH. This award will allow me to pursue further training in scientific and grant writing, immunology, statistical methods and bioinformatics through formal courses offered at the University of Connecticut. My long term goal is to create the University of Connecticut Respiratory Institute. The Institute will provide superb patient care to the surrounding community, will engage the community through research and education, will facilitate the education of the next generation of health care providers, and will contribute to the scientific community through novel translational research.
Areas of Expertise (5)
Public Health
Otolaryngology
Pulmonary and Critical Care
Categorical Internal Medicine
Medicine
Education (2)
Yale School of Public Health: M.P.H., Public Health 2010
Universidad Nacional de Colombia: M.D., Medicine 1995
Affiliations (3)
- Member, American College of Physicians
- Member, American College of Chest Physicians
- Member, American Thoracic Society
Links (2)
Media
Publications:
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Videos:
Audio/Podcasts:
Media Appearances (5)
Race, Economics, Environment Continue To Drive State’s Asthma Disparities
CT Health I-Team online
2022-10-27
Asthma does not impact all people equally. “In the state of Connecticut, similarly to other states in the country, this condition disproportionately affects minority populations, including African Americans and Hispanics,” said Dr. Mario Perez, an assistant professor of medicine at UConn Health who studies asthma disparities and who Cotto sees for her asthma.
News 8 On Call – What is vitamin E acetate, used in vaping products?
News8 online
2019-11-22
Pulmonologist Dr. Mario Perez at UConn Health researches the dangers of vaping. He answers some common questions patients may have about vitamin E acetate.
Vaping-Related Injury: New Guidance on Diagnosis, Treatment
MedScape online
2019-11-12
Faster recognition of vaping-associated lung injury and prompt initiation of tailored steroid therapy can shorten the disease course, according to the largest single health system cohort of patients with vaping/e-cigarette-induced lung injury to date.
Study suggests vaping isn’t harmful to health of young never-smokers
Consumer Affairs online
2017-11-21
In an interview with ConsumerAffairs, pulmonary specialist Dr. Mario F. Perez said he believes it’s too early for researchers to say that vaping is a “safe” alternative to smoking. “I think more research is necessary in order to answer this question and that is something that we are currently doing,” he said.
Don’t Vape Your Health Away
UConn Today online
2017-11-16
Thursday, Nov. 16 is the Great American Smokeout, the day when the American Cancer Society calls on Americans to quit smoking. Last year, a U.S. Surgeon General report revealed that the most commonly used tobacco product among teens and young adults is e-cigarettes. In fact, vaping has skyrocketed by 900 percent in the last five years, and is a significant public health concern. Pulmonary specialist Dr. Mario F. Perez discusses the hazards of the growing e-cigarette and vaping trend with UConn Today.
Articles (5)
E-cigarette use is associated with a self-reported diagnosis of prediabetes in never cigarette smokers: Results from the behavioral risk factor surveillance system survey
Drug Alcohol Depend2019 The use of e-cigarettes is increasing in the US but there is still a paucity of research on the metabolic effects of e-cigarette use. The goal of this work was to determine the association between e-cigarette use and self-reported prediabetes in adult never cigarette smokers.
Adult E-Cigarettes Use Associated with a Self-Reported Diagnosis of COPD
Int J Environ Res Public Health2019 The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has increased in the US, but little is known about the effects of these products on lung health. The main purpose of this study was to examine the association between e-cigarette use and a participant's report of being diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a nationally representative sample of adults.
Association between Regular Electronic Nicotine Product Use and Self-reported Periodontal Disease Status: Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Survey
Int J Environ Res Public Health2019 Electronic nicotine product use is increasing in the U.S., but few studies have addressed its effects on oral health. The goal of this work was to determine the association between electronic nicotine product use and periodontal disease. Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health adult survey data from 2013⁻2016 (waves 1, 2 and 3) was used for the analysis.
Impact of Cirrhosis on Pneumonia-Related Outcomes in Hospitalized Older Veterans
Am J Med Sci2019 Prior research has demonstrated high mortality rates in patients with cirrhosis who contract bacterial infections. The purpose of our study was to explore clinical outcomes such as 90-day mortality, rehospitalization, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission in older veterans with pneumonia and cirrhosis.
How to translate the new hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia guideline to the bedside
Curr Opin Crit Care2017 Hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia remain significant causes of morbidity, mortality, and financial burden in the United States and around the globe. Although guidelines for the management of patients with these conditions have been available for several years, implementation remains challenging.
