The American Thoracic Society's mission is to improve global health by advancing research, patient care, and public health in pulmonary disease, critical illness, and sleep disorders.

Founded in 1905 to combat tuberculosis, the ATS is the world's oldest respiratory society. Its activities have expanded to encompass asthma, COPD, lung cancer, sepsis, acute respiratory distress, sleep apnea, among other diseases.

The belief that disease is vanquished faster when knowledge is shared guides the work of the Society's 15,000 members and its patient arm, the ATS Public Advisory Roundtable.