Dr. Septimiu (aka Tim) Murgu was educated in Romania where he obtained his medical doctorate from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Carol Davila", in Bucharest. He continued his training in the United States, completing Internal Medicine residency at the University of Illinois Affiliated Hospitals -Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston in 2003. He then joined the University of California, Irvine in July 2003 when he began three years training in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Since completing a one year interventional pulmonary fellowship under the mentorship of Prof. Henri Colt in 2006, Dr. Murgu joined the faculty at University of California, Irvine, where he is an assistant professor of medicine.

Dr. Murgu's background is in physics and engineering. Not surprisingly, he has had a keen interest in airflow dynamics and several novel bronchoscopic and radiologic imaging techniques. His major area of clinical interest is in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with various forms of central airway obstruction, including malacia and excessive dynamic airway collapse. A primary focus of his research has been on defining the etiologic, morphologic, and pathophysiologic characteristics of various forms of expiratory central airway collapse and fixed airway strictures. In this regard, he has advocated the use of a novel multidimensional classification system for dynamic central airway obstruction, and is currently working on assessing the role of endobronchial ultrasound and various techniques of morphometric bronchoscopy in order to objectively evaluate airway wall structure and relevance of choke point physiology in these disease processes.

Dr. Murgu's interest in Interventional Pulmonology and airway imaging has also prompted him to help develop and coauthor several research proposals pertaining to the performance of in-vivo high-resolution Optical Coherence Tomography airway imaging in cancer patients. This work is focused on improving the understanding of underlying technologies, related clinical issues, and diverse methods used to assess ways to integrate advanced optical technologies in order to improve the diagnosis and treatment of airway cancer patients.

Dr. Murgu is a well liked and dedicated teacher. He lectures regionally on topics such as COPD, asthma, and their imitators including tracheal stenosis and tracheobronchomalacia. He is proficient in flex-rigid pleuroscopy and thoracoscopy, as well as in minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopic procedures. He has authored several peer-reviewed original research papers and review articles in addition to several abstracts and case reports presented at local, national and international meetings. He is a member of the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Association for Bronchology, the Society of Critical Care Medicine, and the American College of Physicians. He is a faculty member of Bronchoscopy International and frequent contributor to the web-based bronchoscopy education site Bronchoscopy.org, an open-access international forum devoted to training bronchoscopists of all nations.

Publications

1. Murgu S, Colt HG. Trachebronchomalacia: untangling the Gordion knot. Clinical Commentary, J Bronchol 2005;12 (4):239-244.
2. Murgu S, Colt HG. Treatment of tracheobronchomalacia and excessive dynamic airway collapse: an update. Treat Respir Medicine 2006; 5(2):103-115.
3. Murgu S, Colt HG. A 68 year old man with intractable dyspnea and wheezing 45 years after a pneumonectomy. Postgraduate Education Corner, Chest 2006; 129: 1107-1111.
4. Murgu S, Colt HG. Trachebronchomalacia and Excessive Dynamic Airway Collapse. Respirology 2006;11: 388-406
5. Murgu SD, Colt HG. Recognizing Tracheobronchomalacia. J Respir Dis, 2006; 27: 327-335
6. Murgu S, Colt HG. A multidimensional classification (FEMOS) for patients with expiratory central airway collapse. Respirology 2007; 12: 543-550.
7. Murgu SD, Cherrison JL, Colt HG. Respiratory failure due to expiratory central airway collapse. Respiratory Care 2007; 52: 1-3
8. Young-Jae C, Murgu S, Colt HG. Bronchoscopy for Bevacizumab-related hemoptysis. Lung Cancer 2007;56:465-468
9. Murgu SD, Colt HG: Bronchoscopic lung biopsy evidence of calcium oxalate crystals signals Aspergillus Niger infection; Chest, October 2005, Volume 128, Number 4 (Supplement)
10. Murgu, SD, Colt HG. Complications of silicone stent insertion in patients with expiratory central airway collapse. Ann Thorac Surg. 2007 (in press)