Stephen Thom, MD, PhD: Dr. Thom is a Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Maryland. His research awards have been focused on biochemical and physiological responses to oxidative stress with a particular focus on the impact of high-pressure gases. Work has focused on pathophysiological mechanisms associated with decompression sickness, hypercapnia, carbon monoxide poisoning, and wound healing, all of which have common inflammatory pathways. Recent work has focused on blood-borne inflammatory microparticles, neutrophil activation and vasculogenic stem cells. This work has led to discoveries of the propensity for hyperbaric oxygen to transiently impair neutrophil β2 integrin function, to increase vasculogenic stem cell mobilization and improve vessel-forming function due to protein modifications, and to modify inflammasome formation with alterations in microparticle and cytokine production. Dr. Thom is the lead/senior author on over 145 peer reviewed papers and 40 reviews or textbook chapters. His research has been funded by NIH, the Office of Naval Research, and the U.S. Air Force.