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Mario Castro, M.D., MPH

Mario Castro portrait
L.E. Phillips and Lenora Carr Phillips Professor, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine

Adjunct Research Professor, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine

Chief, Division Chief, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine

mcastro2@kumc.edu

Professional Background

Dr. Castro is the L.E. Phillips and Lenora Carr Phillips Professor of Medicine, Vice Chair for Clinical and Translational Research, Department of Medicine, Chief, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC), and Director of the Frontiers: University of Kansas Clinical and Translational Science Institute and Adjunct Research Professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. He has been a leader of the CDC Controlling Asthma in American Cities, American Lung Association Airway Clinical Research Centers, and NHLBI Asthma Clinical Research Network, Severe Asthma Research Program, AsthmaNet and PrecISE research networks.

His translational research projects in the Asthma and Airway Translational Research Unit (AATRU) are focused on the pathogenesis of asthma and treatment of asthma, especially in severe disease. Recently, Dr. Castro has spearheaded several initiatives to combat the COVID-19 pandemic: Lead investigator for NIH/NIAID-funded COVID-19 Prevention Trials Network (CoVPN trial), ACTIV-2 trial and the PCORNET HERO HCQ trial.

He is the author of over 30 chapters/books and over 300 peer-reviewed articles; over the past 25+ years, Dr. Castro has trained over 40 junior clinical and translational scholars. He is widely recognized as an expert clinician, an excellent mentor, and skilled educator with a significant commitment to the development of young investigator’s careers.

Education and Training
  • BA, Biology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
  • MPH, Public Health, St. Louis University School of Public Health, St. Louis, MO
  • Internship, Internal Medicine, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
  • Residency, Internal Medicine, Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, Rochester, MN
  • Clinical Fellowship, Pulmonary/Critical Care, Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, Rochester, MN
Licensure, Accreditations & Certifications
  • Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine
  • Kansas Medical License, Kansas Board of Healing Arts
  • Missouri Medical License, Missouri Division of Professional Registration
  • Pulmonary Diseases, American Board of Internal Medicine
Professional Affiliations
  • International Medical Assistance Foundation, Chair, 2016 - Present
  • American Lung Association, Scientific Advisory Committee, Chair, 2013 - 2018
  • American Lung Association, Member, 2012 - 2018
  • American Lung Association of Plains - Gulf Region, Member, 2006 - 2012
  • International Medical Assistance Foundation, Member, 2006 - Present
  • American Thoracic Society, Allergy, Immunology, and Inflammation Assembly Program Committee, Chair, 2005 - 2006
  • American Thoracic Society, Allergy, Immunology, and Inflammation Assembly Program Committee, Chair Elect, 2004 - 2005

Current Research and Grants
  • ACTIV-2: Adaptive Platform Treatment Trial for Outpatients with COVID-19 (Adapt Out COVID), NIH/NIAD, PI
  • "University of Kansas' Precision Biologic Interventions for Severe Exacerbation Prone Asthma (PRECISE) Clinical Center, NIH, PI
  • A Phase III Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Multicenter Study in Adults to Determine the Safety, Efficacy, and Immunogenicity of AZD1222, a Non-replicating ChAdOx1 Vector Vaccine, for the Prevention of COVID-19, NIH/NIAID, PI
  • ALA ACRC Lung Health Cohort, American Lung Association, PI
  • American Lung Association - Airways Clinical Research Centers, American Lung Association, PI
  • Collaborative Cohort of Cohorts for COVID Research (C4R), ., PI
  • Frontiers: University of Kansas Clinical and Translational Science Institute, NIH/NCATS, PI
  • HRCT Reading Central Center for PrecISE Network, NIH, PI
  • Immunometabolic Phenotypes In Adult Severe Asthma And Disease Progression, NIH, Co-PI
  • RADx-UP: Improving the Response of Local Urban and Rural Communities to Disparities in COVID-19 Testing, NIH, PI
  • RofLumilast or Azithromycin to prevent COPD Exacerbations (RELIANCE), PCORI, PI
Publications