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About

Erin A. Gillaspie is a pioneering thoracic surgeon and researcher whose work sits at the intersection of minimally invasive surgery and medical robotics. Her key research areas include the development of novel robotic systems for lung interventions, autonomous needle steering, and advanced thoracoscopic techniques. Dr. Gillaspie’s major contributions include demonstrating the feasibility of concentric tube robots for rigid bronchoscopy to remove central airway obstructions (47 citations), and she has advanced the field of autonomous medical needle steering with in vivo validation (45 citations), addressing a fundamental challenge in accessing targets within living tissue. She also introduced “microlobectomy,” a novel form of endoscopic lobectomy that uses subxiphoid ports and no intercostal incisions greater than 5 mm (23 citations), representing a significant step toward ultra-minimally invasive lung surgery. Her work on continuum robot tentacles with folding support disks (11 citations) explores how robots can navigate the narrow spaces between ribs, pushing the boundaries of what is surgically possible. Dr. Gillaspie has also contributed to robotic-assisted diaphragmatic plication, improving outcomes for patients with diaphragmatic dysfunction. Her research is shaping the future of interventional pulmonology and thoracic surgery.