Toxicology | Research Interests

Name	Email	PhD Program
Pyo, Brian EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Pharmacology, Systems Biology, Toxicology
Sapienza-Lundie, Lauren EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Pathology, Toxicology, Translational Medicine	“I’m interested in toxicology research as it relates to the type of particulates or pollutants in the environment and how these health-threatening chemicals affect and alter the biology of humans through their environments. I would be open to studying pathology of disease from these chemicals and ways to mitigate, prevent, or even treat these chemicals from causing disease in at-risk communities on the fence line of industries that impact the environment and subsequent public health.”
Pyo, Brian EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Pharmacology, Systems Biology, Toxicology	“I am interested in how xenobiotics (drugs, nutrients, environmental contaminants, etc.) positively or negatively affect human health. I’m also interested in developing and utilizing systems biology multi-omics approach to answer these scientific questions.”
Soerianto, Winny EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Pathology, Toxicology	“I am interested in looking at molecular mechanisms that are effected by environmental stress, such as heat stress. I am also interested in taking a more population health and epidemiology approach to see how environmental stressors related to climate change effect human health.”
Humphrey, Jess EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Immunology, Toxicology, Translational Medicine	“At UNC, I am interested in researching factors and exposures that may contribute to the development of allergy and disease. I would like to study and evaluate potential biomarkers from oral immunotherapy studies to further understand why individuals become sensitized to antigens and explore potential therapeutics for desensitization.”
Chou, Chloe EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Genetics, Toxicology	“My research interests lie in answering how environmental exposures may interact with different risk factors such as sex, age, and genetics in the pathogenesis of diseases. I am also interested in exploring the epigenetic and epigenomic changes that occur after environmental exposures. I am partial to inhalational toxicology but am also excited to explore other areas of toxicology.”
Clapp, Phil WEBSITE EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Toxicology RESEARCH INTEREST Cell Biology, Immunology, Physiology, Toxicology, Translational Medicine	My lab in the UNC CEMALB uses translational in vitro and clinical in vivo approaches to investigate how inhaled xenobiotics modify respiratory innate immune responses in people with and without existing lung disease. A central component of my research is the integration of biomedical engineering, additive manufacturing, and advanced cell culture methods to evaluate the health effects of new and emerging tobacco products such as e-cigarettes. I believe the best research is achieved through collaboration across disciplines and welcome interested trainees to contact me to learn more about my lab.
Ferguson, Kelly WEBSITE EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Toxicology RESEARCH INTEREST Toxicology, Translational Medicine	The Perinatal and Early Life Epidemiology Group conducts research on how maternal exposure to chemicals impacts pregnancy and the development of the fetus and child. We also investigate biological mechanisms of action — such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and endocrine disruption — that connect chemical exposures to adverse birth outcomes.
Moran, Timothy WEBSITE EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Microbiology & Immunology, Toxicology RESEARCH INTEREST Immunology, Toxicology, Translational Medicine	Our research focuses on how environmental exposures impact the development of allergic diseases including asthma and food allergy. We are specifically interested in how exposure to environmental pollutants and immunostimulatory molecules (adjuvants) influence allergic sensitization. The goals of our laboratory are to: (1) define the key environmental adjuvants within the indoor exposome that promote allergic sensitization; (2) characterize the molecular mechanisms by which environmental adjuvants and pollutants condition lung antigen presenting cells to induce allergic immune responses; and (3) identify biomarkers of environmental adjuvant exposure that are associated with increased risk for allergic sensitization in children. Through these research endeavors, we hope to identify potential therapeutic targets for environment-mediated allergic diseases, as well as environmental interventions to mitigate the risk for allergic disease development.
Rebuli, Meghan E. WEBSITE EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Toxicology RESEARCH INTEREST Immunology, Pathogenesis & Infection, Toxicology, Translational Medicine	Research in my lab focuses on investigating sex specific effects of air pollutants and new and emerging tobacco products on respiratory immune health. Specifically, the Rebuli lab is examining how the interaction of sex (genetic and hormonal) and toxicant exposure can alter respiratory health. As the majority of research has been historically conducted in men, male animals, or male-derived cell culture models, there is a paucity of information on female respiratory health and sex differences in the effects of toxicant exposure. We are working to fill this knowledge gap by better understanding the role of genetic and hormonal sex on respiratory health. This is particularly important in understanding the development of sex-biased diseases, where men or women are more susceptible to disease development after environmental exposures, such viral infection, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We are interested in toxicants such as ozone, wood smoke, cigarette smoke, and e-cigarette aerosols. We investigate effects at both the individual and population level by using clinical (observational clinical studies and prospective exposure trials) and translational (in vitro and ex vivo cell culture) models of the respiratory immune system.

Research Interest: Toxicology