Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School | Expert in Asthma, COPD, Respiratory Genetics & Vitamin D Research
ABOUT DR. WEISS
Dr. Scott T. Weiss, MD, is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Professor of Environmental Health in the Respiratory Biology Program. He also serves as a physician in the Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Weiss previously served as Scientific Director of Personalized Medicine at Partners HealthCare System, Co-Leader of the Systems Genetics and Genomics Unit, and Associate Director of the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham.
Dr. Weiss has authored or co-authored over 600 scientific papers and co-written/co-edited multiple books, including authoritative texts on respiratory genetics. His work spans genetics, environmental risk factors, translational genomics, and clinical studies focused on asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including landmark investigations into prenatal vitamin D and childhood asthma prevention.
His research uses state-of-the-art genomic technologies and multidisciplinary approaches to understand how genetic, environmental, and developmental factors interact to influence lung disease risk and progression
Research Interests
- Genetic and environmental determinants of asthma and COPD
- Pharmacogenetics and personalized medicine in airway disease
- Developmental origins of asthma, including the role of micronutrients such as vitamin D
- Translational genomics and clinical applications of genetics in respiratory health
- Molecular mechanisms of immune and airway development
Awards & Honors
- American Thoracic Society Recognition Award for Scientific Accomplishments (for work including “Reduced Vitamin D Levels in Pregnant Women are the Cause of the Asthma Epidemic”)
- Ranked among the top 0.004% of biomedical researchers globally based on scientific impact
- Leadership roles in scientific sections and committees (including Genetics & Genomics in major respiratory societies)
Top Scientific Publications
Below are representative publications that reflect Dr. Weiss’s impact on respiratory genetics, asthma pathogenesis, and vitamin D research:
- Wolsk HM, Chawes BL, Litonjua AA, Hollis BW, Waage J, Stokholm J, Bønnelykke K, Bisgaard H, Weiss ST. Prenatal vitamin D supplementation reduces risk of asthma/recurrent wheeze in early childhood: A combined analysis of two randomized controlled trials. PLoS One. 2017;12(10):e0186657.
- Weiss ST. What genes tell us about the pathogenesis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2010;181(11):1170–1173.
- Weiss ST, Raby BA, Rogers A. Asthma genetics and genomics. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2009;19(3):279–282.
- Tantisira KG, Weiss ST. The pharmacogenetics of asthma treatment. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2009;9(1):10–7.
- Mirzakhani H, Carey VJ, O’Connor GT, et al., Weiss ST. Prenatal vitamin D supplementation to prevent childhood asthma: 15-year results from VDAART. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2023;153(2):378–388.
Contributions to GrassrootsHealth
Dr. Weiss’s expertise has directly informed GrassrootsHealth’s scientific dialogue on vitamin D and immune/respiratory health, particularly around study design, interpretation of prenatal supplementation trials, and the importance of viewing evidence holistically when shaping public health guidelines.
Media & Lectures
Dr. Weiss has delivered invited presentations on genetics, prenatal nutrition, asthma prevention, and personalized medicine at major scientific conferences, including sessions hosted by the American Thoracic Society and genomic research symposia.
Professional Memberships
- American Thoracic Society (ATS)
- American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST)
Contact & Affiliations
Harvard Medical School | Brigham and Women’s Hospital
