Peter Calverley is Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Liverpool. As President of the British Thoracic Society he established a greater engagement with patients and government while highlighting the shortfall in Respiratory academics in the UK. He used his expertise in respiratory physiology to study disease mechanisms in obstructive sleep apnoea and the respiratory consequences of neuromuscular disease with direct benefit for patient management. His influence has been greatest in the area of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) where he has developed rational therapies.