The PIRC Team

Office: 7211 Marsico Hall

Dr. Livraghi-Butrico joined the UNC Marsico Lung Institute/Cystic Fibrosis Center in 2002 and since then has been involved in a variety of projects aimed at understanding the basic mechanisms governing airway mucus clearance in health and disease. Specifically, her research focuses on how alterations in airway surface hydration, mucus production, mucin assembly, and early postnatal development impact other components of the airway mucosal immune system.

Office: 5070E Genetic Medicine Building

Dr. Smith is a respiratory toxicologist with more than a decade of experience and additional postdoctoral training in toxicogenomics. His research is founded upon the use of inhalation toxicology and environmental medicine to improve public health. In particular, Dr. Smith is interested in uncovering genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying adverse respiratory effects of airborne toxicants and developing inhaled therapeutics for the treatment of lung injury and disease.

Tyler joined the PIRC in 2022 after graduating from Christopher Newport University where he obtained a BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology. Tyler contributed to experimental efforts of NIH contracts for establishment of chronic bacterial infections and now specializes in bronchoscopic instillation in mouse models.

Joey has an MS in Biological Sciences from the University of Mississippi. Before coming to UNC, he worked as a Research Associate and Manager of the Animal Metabolism and Behavior Core at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Joey joined the PIRC in 2023 and specializes in experimental challenges, specifically with phenotyping and exposure devices like the DSI Inhalation Tower and SciREQ Flexivent.

Rowan received their BS in Biology at UNC-Chapel Hill in 2021. They have been a research technician with Dr. Smith since 2022. Rowan specializes in various laboratory techniques, including ELISA, qPCR, cell culture, and immunohistochemistry. Rowan is also actively involved in colony management for the collaborative cross mouse models.

Jazmin has an MR in Animal Science from NC State University and had experience as a Research Technician for the Division of Comparative Medicine at UNC before joining the PIRC in 2023. Jazmin specializes in laboratory animals handling, mouse colony management, agarose western blots, and immunohistochemistry.