Dr. De Cardenas is the Founder and Director of the Interventional Pulmonology Program at the University of Michigan and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine and Surgery. He is part of the multidisciplinary team at the University of Michigan that treats patients with complex airway and pleural diseases. He has helped to develop and currently serves as Co-Director of the Complex Airway Intervention and Reconstruction (AIR) Program at Michigan Medicine. He does have specific expertise in minimally invasive advanced diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopic and pleural procedures, critical care ultrasonography and medical education.
As an active member of both the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) and the American Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (AABIP), he serves in editorial boards and other multiple leadership committees. During his free time, he plays his saxophones.

Dr. De Cardenas has given over 50 invited lectures, authored multiple research articles, reviews, commentaries and book chapters. His current academic interests are:
- endobronchial device development for diagnosis and treatment of early lung cancer,
- tracheostomy in the critical ill,
- pleural infectious diseases, and
- development of novel methods to teach procedural skills.