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The Pulmonary and Inhalation Research Core (PIRC)

Director, Animal Models and Mucosal Immunology: Alessandra Livraghi-Butrico, PhD
Director, Aerosol and Inhalation Research: Gregory Smith, PhD

The mission of the Pulmonary and Inhalation Research Core Facility is to provide users with a comprehensive set of services to evaluate pulmonary health and disease associated with genetic alterations, inhaled toxicants, and therapeutics in small animal models.

We provide users with a range of disease models caused by genetic manipulations and/or environmental exposure (e.g., allergens and air pollutants). We can administer therapeutics via multiple routes of exposure, and our phenotyping services include assessment of pulmonary injury, inflammation, airway mucus obstruction and remodeling, as well as physiologic evaluation of lung function via multiple modalities.

Pulmonary Disease Models

  • Inhalation toxicology and pharmacology
  • Genetic models of pulmonary disease
  • Infections and allergens

Phenotyping

  • Cellular and biochemical assays
  • Mucin characterization
  • Histopathology
  • Plethysmography and pulmonary function tests

More information can be found at the Core’s dedicated website: https://www.med.unc.edu/marsicolunginstitute/pirc/