Dr Jean-Paul Praud is a pediatric pulmonologist with a PhD degree in respiratory physiology. After completing his MD and PhD studies in Paris, France, and a research fellowship in Sherbrooke, Canada, he got a position at the University of Sherbrooke in 1990, where he is still affiliated. Dr Praud’s clinical interests have focused predominantly on sleep-disordered breathing, cardiorespiratory events of prematurity and sudden infant death syndrome, as well as home non-invasive respiratory support for the last 40 years. Dr Praud’s research program mainly focuses on cardiorespiratory events and respiratory function of the larynx in early life. This includes studies in full-term and preterm lambs—a unique preclinical model from his lab—on swallowing-breathing coordination, laryngeal chemoreflexes, non-invasive respiratory support and gastro-esophageal reflux. He is the author of more than 200 articles and book chapters.
Dr Praud founded and directed the Center for Mother-Child Research at the University of Sherbrooke for more than 15 years. He was also president of the Mentorship Committee for Young Researchers at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences for 10 years. Dr Praud cofounded both the International Congress on Pediatric Pulmonology (CIPP) (he was President of CIPP in 2002) and the International Course on Pediatric Pulmonology (he served as President every year from 2007 to 2023). Lastly, he has been involved in the launching of INSPiRED, the International Society for Pediatric Respiratory Diseases, where he serves as International Liaison Officer.
Dr Praud has received several awards and distinctions in recognition of his achievements. He held the Canada Research Chair in Neonatal Respiratory Physiology from 2009 to 2023. He was inducted as a Fellow to the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in 2010. He was nominated Emeritus Researcher, University of Sherbrooke, in 2024. He is the recipient of a Lifelong Achievement Award in Pediatric Pulmonology from the Canadian Thoracic Society and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Rennes, France, in 2025.
