Administrative Contact
[email protected]
Dr. Roy Joseph Cho, MD, MHA, is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Bronchoscopy and the Complex Airway Program at the University of Minnesota, where he also serves as a Clinical Advisor to the Earl E. Bakken Medical Device Center. A board-certified interventional pulmonologist, Dr. Cho has pioneered innovations in robotic bronchoscopy, airway stenting, and pleural disease management, holding multiple patents in diagnostic and therapeutic pulmonary devices. He has published extensively with over 70 peer-reviewed articles and has been consistently recognized as a Top Doctor by Minneapolis–St. Paul Magazine. As a leader in academic medicine, he has secured over $1 million in research funding, co-chairs national training initiatives, and mentors fellows through advanced procedural and device development curricula. His work bridges clinical excellence, medical education, and translational innovation in pulmonary and critical care medicine.
Airway stenting (design, performance, biocompatibility)
Central airway collapse and stenosis
Rigid bronchoscopy and oxygenation safety
Recanalization techniques for complex airway obstruction
Anti-fouling and hydrophilic polymer-coated airway stents
Development and evaluation of lung biopsy tools and airway stent retrieval devices
Low-cost ventilator prototypes and jet ventilation systems
Prototyping with 3D imaging for pulmonary diagnostics
Multi-compartment syringe systems and solenoid valve-assisted ventilators
Robotic bronchoscopy and electromagnetic navigation
Radial EBUS and endobronchial biopsy optimization (e.g., sarcoidosis)
Supraclavicular lymph node sampling using ultrasound
Vessel sign utility for pre-procedural planning
Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy for ILD
Persistent air leak management (e.g., doxycycline use)
Thoracentesis suction techniques
Vanishing lung syndrome and spontaneous resolution
Breath analysis for early lung cancer detection
Functional pneumonectomy via intrabronchial valves
Biopsy of high-risk lung nodules
Ventilation strategies during rigid bronchoscopy
ECMO and dorsal diaphragm excursion as a marker of transpulmonary pressure
Post-intubation laryngotracheal stenosis, especially in COVID-19 cohorts
Procedural documentation templates for interventional pulmonology
Sedation, anticoagulation, and airway safety protocol development
Billing optimization through structured procedural notes
● Top Doctor Award, Minneapolis–St. Paul Magazine (2023, 2024, 2025)
● Top Doctors Rising Star Award, Minneapolis–St. Paul Magazine (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
● Award for Service in the Committee for Video Education Production (2021)
Research and Innovation Grant Awards (as PI)
● Comparison of Human Breath Samples in Lung Cancer Assessment – $300,000 (2022–2024)
● Translational Product Development Grants (Tiers 1 & 2) – $700,000 total (2018, 2020–2022, 2021)
● COVID-19 Rapid Response Grant – $12,000 (2021)
● REACH NIH Grant – $100,000 (2017)
Dr. Roy Joseph Cho brings extensive clinical expertise in interventional pulmonology, pulmonary and critical care medicine, with a focus on complex airway disease, pleural interventions, and advanced bronchoscopic procedures. He currently serves as Director of Bronchoscopy and Co-Director of the Complex Airway Program at the University of Minnesota, where he leads programs in rigid bronchoscopy, automated jet ventilation, and percutaneous tracheostomy. Board-certified in four specialties—including interventional pulmonology—Dr. Cho has performed high-acuity procedures in both academic and community settings and has developed workflow-integrated documentation and sedation protocols to enhance safety and efficiency. His clinical practice is distinguished by a translational approach, integrating device innovation, procedural training, and multidisciplinary collaboration across thoracic oncology, lung transplant, and critical care teams.
Interventional Pulmonology Education and Training
Medical Device Innovation
Translational Research and Clinical Trials
Multidisciplinary Program Development