Dr. Colt was recruited to the University of California, Irvine in 2002 from the University of California San Diego where he was Professor of Medicine and Director of interventional pulmonary services at UCSD-La Jolla. Previously, Dr. Colt had worked at the Laser Center of the University of Marseille, France. Dr. Colt was educated in the United States (University of Pittsburgh Affiliated Hospitals, Oregon Health Sciences University), and Europe (University of Nice, France). His background is multicultural, he speaks several languages, and has practiced medicine in Europe, the United States, and Africa.

Listed annually in Best Doctors in America since 1996, and recently in Orange Coast Magazine’s Best Doctors, Dr. Colt has authored over 120 peer-reviewed original research articles in addition to numerous book chapters, textbooks, and review papers. He has served as an associate editor for the Journal of Bronchology, section editor for the popular UpToDate in Pulmonary Medicine, and is on the editorial board or reviewer’s list for numerous medical journals, including Faculty 1000. Dr. Colt has served as President of the American Association for Bronchology and is a regent of the World Bronchology Association. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Lung Cancer Support and Education (ALCASE), and has the honor of serving as an official development consultant to the Tianjin Economic Development Area (TEDA) in Tianjin, China, and is Chairman of the World Bronchology Foundation. His work in education has resulted in his being the recipient of the San Jose de San Martin award from the South American Association for Bronchology, and he has been awarded honorary membership in several international bronchology or thoracic societies.

Dr. Colt is an internationally recognized authority and leader in advanced pulmonary endoscopic procedures. He lectures internationally and in the United States on bronchoscopic laser resection and stenting, novel endoscopicand optical technologies and teaching modalities, thoracoscopy and pleural diseases, as well as on palliative cancer treatments. Although Dr. Colt’s major area of interest is in the education, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with advanced lung disorders, he is certified in Medical Ethics and is increasingly asked to speak about issues pertaining to spirituality, religious and cultural diversity, ethics, humanitarian aid, palliative care, and end-of-life care.

A strong advocate for the democratization of knowledge, Dr. Colt’s focus is increasingly on the design, implementation and dissemination of novel technologies and innovative, effective learning modalities which encompass verbal, written, video, multimedia, and virtual reality curricula. These include the recently released Essential Bronchoscopist, a web-based tool for laddered self-learning of bronchoscopy-related theory, and is the founder of Bronchoscopy International (bronchoscopy.org), an open-access forum that relies on the generosity and knowledge of a group of friends and colleagues to facilate training for students and bronchoscopists of all nations.

Selected recent publications

1. Colt HG. Bronchoscopic laser resection in thoracic neoplasia. Comprehensive Textbook of Thoracic Oncology. Eds Aisner, Arriagadaa, Green, Martin, Perry. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore Md, 1996, pg. 925-939.
2. Colt HG, Harrell JH. Therapeutic rigid bronchoscopy allows level of care changes in patients with acute respiratory failure from central airways obstruction. Chest 1997;112:202-206.
3. Colt HG. Mesothelioma: Epidemiology, presentation, and diagnosis. Seminars in Resp and Crit Care Med 1997;18:353-363.
4. Colt HG, Bergin CL. Chronic obstructive airways diseases: asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, cystic fibrosis, and bronchiectasis. In, Textbook on Diffuse Lung Disorders (A comprehensive clinical-radiological overview) M Sperber Ed, Springer-Verlag publisher, Berlin, New York, pg. 185-225, 1998.
5. Colt HG. Functional evaluation after interventional bronchoscopy. In, Interventional Bronchoscopy, Bolliger CT, Mathur PN (eds), Karger Publisher, Basel, Switzerland. Prog Respir Res, 1999;30:55-64.
6. Colt HG. Emerging Technology: Thoracoscopy, window to the pleura. Special section, Chest 1999;116:1409-1415.
7. Burrows CM, Mathews WC, Colt HG. Predicting survival in patients with recurrent symptomatic malignant pleural effusions: an assessment of the prognostic values of physiologic, morphologic, and quality of life measures of extent of disease. Chest 2000;117:73-78.
8. Colt HG, Beamis JF, Harrell JH, Mathur PM. Novel flexible broncoscope and single-use disposable sheath endoscope system: a preliminary technology evaluation. Chest 2000;118:183-187.
9. Matsuo T, Colt HG. Evidence against routine scheduling of surveillance bronchoscopy after stent insertion. Chest 2000;118:1455-1459.
10. Hoffman HM, Colt HG, Haas A. Development of an experimental paradigm in which to examine human learning using two computer-based formats. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics book series, Westwood, Hoffman, Stredney, Robb Editors;IOS Press, Amsterdam (2001).
11. Colt HG, Matsuo T. Hospital charges attributable to bronchoscopy-related complications in outpatients. Respiration 2001;68:67-72.
12. Dalupang JJ, Shanks TG, and Colt HG. Nd:YAG laser damage to metal and silicone endobronchial stents: Delineation of margins of safety using an in-vitro experimental model. Chest 2001;120:934-940.
13. Colt HG, Crawford SW, Galbraith O. Virtual reality bronchoscopy simulation: a revolution in procedural training. Chest 2001;120:1333-1339.
14. Crawford SW, Colt HG. Virtual reality and written assessments are of potential value to determine knowledge and skill in flexible bronchoscopy. Respiration 2004;71:269-275.
15. M Brenner, MD, NM Hanna, R Mina-Araghi, AF Gelb, MD, and RJ McKenna JR.,MD, and H. Colt, MD. Innovative Approaches To Lung Volume Reduction For Emphysema. Chest 2004;126:238-248.
16. Lee P, Colt HG. Thoracoscopy: an update on therapeutic applications. J Resp Illness 2004;24:530-537.
17. Ren S, Terman DS, Bohach G, Silvers A, Hansen C, Colt H, Sahn SA. Intrapleural Staphylococcal superantigen induces resolution of malignant pleural effusions and a survival benefit in nonsmall cell lung cancer. Chest 2004;126:1529;1539.
18. Hanna N, Saltzman D, Mukai D, Chen Z, Sasee S, Milliken J, Guo S, Colt HG, Brenner M.  2-Dimensional and 3 Dimensional Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Polarization Sensitive OCT Imaging of the Lung and Pleura.  J Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2005;129:615-622.
19. Lee P, Colt HG. Rigid and semirigid pleurososcopy: the future is bright. Respirology 2005;10:418-425.
20. Colt HG, Davoudi M, Quadrelli S. Pilot study of web-based bronchoscopy education using the Essential Bronchoscopist in developing countries (Mauritania and Mozambique). Respiration 2007;74:358-359.
21. Colt HG, Ngoc van Tran, Quadrelli S, than Pham van. Creation of an interventional technical plateau at Cho ray Hospital, Vietnam. J Bronchol 2007;14:289-292.
22. Murgu SD, Colt HG. Complications of silicone stent insertion in patients with expiratory central airway collapse. Annals Thorac Surg, 2007;84:1870-1877.

Published books

1. Colt HG, Mathur PN. Manual of Pleural Procedures. Lippincott-Williams and Wilkins publishers, Philadelphia 1999.
2. Colt HG, Jones V. Breast Cancer-related Lung Disease: a guide for patients living with advanced breast cancer. San Diego Prepress, San Diego, CA 2001.
3. Colt HG. The Essential Bronchoscopist. A web-based self learning guide (6 modules) of bronchoscopy-related theory. (English and Spanish). 2003. (Portugese, French, and Japanese translations). 2007: http://www.bronchoscopy.org/education/BiEducEB_.asp.
4. Lee P, Colt HG. Flex-Rigid Pleuroscopy Step-By-Step. CMPMedica, Asia, Singapore 2005