Respiratory Pathology 2026

Pulmopardy! A Respiratory Pathology Game Show - Team 17

Media Type: Interactive Game

Summary

Our assignment covers a wide range of topics in respiratory pathology, including asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, ARDS, COPD, cancer, etc. in an interactive game show inspired by Jeopardy!™️. We chose this topic and format because it’s a fun and interactive way to explore common respiratory diseases. We chose the main lung diseases that we covered in class: asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, and ARDS, as our categories, and we added an extra category called “all things respiratory” to include some miscellaneous lung pathology topics. We wanted to incorporate all components of pathology, so we formed our question prompts around signs and symptoms, etiology, pathogenesis, treatment, and complications. To make it consistent, we aligned those categories in order of the money value for each question (ie. Signs and symptoms are at the $200 level for each disease category).

Asthma is a chronic, inflammatory disorder where the airway narrows, triggered either by a hyper response to an allergen (atopic), or by a cause such as exercise, or cold air (non-atopic).

Emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) is characterized by permanent damage to alveolar walls and abnormal growth of airspaces. There are three types of emphysema: centriacinar, panacinar, and distal acinar.

Pneumonia is an infection of the lung tissue and is characterized by an inflammatory fluid filling the alveolar spaces. There are two main types of pneumonia: hospital acquired and community acquired, which differ based on the type of bacteria that causes them.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe condition where there is inflammation and fluid build-up in the alveoli, which can interfere with oxygen getting to the blood.

Our final section “All things respiratory” included additional topics such as respiratory anatomy, tuberculosis, lung cancer, and granulomatous lung disease.

Keywords: Respiratory, Game, Asthma, Emphysema, ARDS, Pneumonia

When Cells Go Rogue: Understanding Respiratory Squamous Cell Carcinoma - Team 27

Media Type: Podcast

Summary

Our PULSE assignment focuses on squamous cell lung carcinoma, a major subtype of non-small cell lung cancer that is most often linked to long-term smoking. We chose to present this topic as a podcast because listening to a conversation can feel more personal and engaging than reading a dense scientific explanation. An interview-style format lets us break down complex ideas in a way that feels natural, clear, and easier to connect with for someone without a science background.

We chose this topic because squamous cell lung carcinoma is strongly connected to everyday exposures and habits, which makes it especially important from a public health perspective. Unlike some diseases that can feel distant or unpredictable, this type of lung cancer is closely tied to preventable risk factors such as smoking and radon exposure in the home. That makes it a topic people can relate to and learn from in a practical way.

In our podcast, we explain what squamous cell lung carcinoma is, how it develops, and why it matters. We also highlight the ways harmful exposures can gradually damage cells over time and increase the risk of cancer. Our goal is to make this information understandable and meaningful for a broad audience, while encouraging people to think more carefully about their respiratory health and the small everyday choices that can have long-term effects.

Keywords: Neoplasia, Squamous cell carcinoma, Cigarette smoking, Epithelial transformation, Diagnosis and Treatment, Radon