Carolyn S. Calfee, MD MAS is Professor in Residence of Medicine and Anesthesia at the University of California San Francisco, where she attends in the intensive care units. Dr. Calfee is also a member of UCSF's Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, the Cardiovascular Research Institute, and the UCSF Cancer Center. Dr. Calfee's primary academic focus is the pathogenesis and treatment of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ARDS is a common cause of acute respiratory failure in critically ill patients, with mortality rates between 30-40% and no effective therapies other than supportive care. Her primary areas of focus are threefold: first, defining molecular phenotypes of ARDS and advancing precision medicine in critical care; second, the role of environmental exposures including smoking, air pollution, and novel tobacco products in susceptibility to lung injury; and third, novel treatments for ARDS. Dr. Calfee and her team have found that approximately 30% of patients with ARDS have a hyper-inflammatory phenotype that may respond preferentially to specific mechanical ventilation approaches, fluid management strategies, and most recently pharmacotherapy, laying the groundwork for future precision medicine approaches in critical care.