Dr. Thomas R. Martin, Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington, passed away on September 14, 2025, at the end of an extraordinary, active, and impactful life. He devoted his life to clinical care, teaching, and research in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, building a career marked by excellence and dedication. He will be remembered as an outstanding scientist, a visionary leader in respiratory and critical care medicine, and a generous mentor to generations of investigators.
It is impossible to overstate the profound impact of Professor Tom Martin's work in the field of critical care medicine and ARDS. Since joining the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the University of Washington in 1980, Tom combined clinical excellence with a lifelong commitment to research and educating future physicians and scientists. He was Vice Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington and Chief of the Hospital and Specialty Medicine Service Line at the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System (2000–2011).
For more than three decades, his laboratory received continuous support from the NIH, VA, and other funding agencies, reflecting the strength and relevance of his work. His research contributed significantly to the understanding of pulmonary biology, with a special focus on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying ARDS and sepsis, and the intricate interplay between innate immunity and lung injury.
He trained more than 40 fellows who went on to distinguished academic careers in the United States, Europe, and Japan. He was Chair of the Pulmonary Disease Board of the American Board of Internal Medicine. He supported doctoral theses of members of SEMICYUC and ESICM and developed collaborations with Spanish research groups at Hospital Universitario de Getafe (Madrid) and Corporación Sanitaria Parc Taulí (Sabadell, Barcelona). His dedication to teaching was widely recognized, including the Paul Beeson Award from the University of Washington residents in 2011. His kind attitude to young fellows was well known, and his gentle approach was clearly recognized by any person who approached him.
Tom also served the scientific community in key leadership roles. He was President of the American Thoracic Society (2002–2003), and Scientific Director of the Parker B. Francis Pulmonary Fellowship program. In each of these roles, he worked tirelessly to promote scientific rigor and to support early-stage investigators.
In 2011, he became Global Head of Respiratory Clinical Development at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, where he built international collaborations in translational science and drug development. After retiring in 2017, he returned to the University of Washington as advisor to the Lung Biology Center and continued to mentor new faculty and fellows. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he came out of retirement to contribute to clinical trials for critically ill patients, once again exemplifying his devotion to science and patient care.
Tom was also an extraordinary person. His generosity and humanity touched our personal and professional lives in equal measure. He combined deep knowledge and integrity with humility and kindness, always showing genuine care for the growth of his trainees. His warmth created bonds that lasted far beyond the hospital.
We will miss him deeply. At the same time, we feel profoundly grateful for the privilege of having known him. He leaves us a lasting legacy of scientific rigor, generosity, and commitment to service that will continue to guide and inspire all of us who were fortunate to walk beside him as mentees, collaborators, and friends.
Tom is survived by his wife, two daughters, three grandchildren, and five siblings, to whom we extend our deepest condolences.
