UCSF pulmonologist Dr. Harold R. Collard has dedicated his career to researching and treating interstitial lung disease (ILD), a group of conditions that affect lung tissue. Diagnosing ILD can be difficult, as can its treatment, since many forms have no cure. Collard, UCSF's vice chancellor of research and the former director of the UCSF Interstitial Lung Disease Program, works to address the unmet needs of patients with ILD through education and better treatments. Here, he describes his inspiration and the importance of taking the time to build effective doctor-patient relationships.