Iris Perez, MD

Iris A. Perez, MD, is Director of the Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome and Diaphragm Pacing Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Perez is board-certified in pediatrics, pediatric pulmonology and sleep medicine. She completed her pediatric residency and chief residency at the Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine and her pediatric pulmonology fellowship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Dr. Perez’s clinical and research interests center around disorders of respiratory control, particularly in congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS), a rare genetic disorder that affects control of breathing. She also has a special focus on ventilatory support for CCHS patients, especially diaphragm pacing.

Collaborating with other researchers, Dr. Perez investigates the physiology, phenotypes and management of patients with CCHS, with the goal of improving patient outcomes and maximizing patient potential. Other areas of interest include pediatric sleep-related breathing disorders, sleep in children with autism, and sleep and performance.

Intertwined with her research is her passion for education and mentoring of students, trainees and early-career faculty. Dr. Perez is involved in education and mentoring committees at CHLA and USC, as well as the American Thoracic Society and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. It is her belief that teaching and mentoring are essential pillars in promoting respiratory, sleep and overall health across the lifespan.