Meet Our Team

Terry L. Noah, MD

Chief, Division of Pediatric Pulmonology
Jacob A. Lohr, MD Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics
Vice Chair, Department of Pediatrics

My research interests involve working with collaborators at the UNC Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology. I have helped develop a useful research model for translational studies investigating the effects of air pollutants on respiratory viral infections in human volunteers.  This model became a core feature of two NIH R01 grants in collaboration with Dr. Ilona Jaspers.

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Elisabeth P. Dellon, MD, MPH

Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Medical Director, Children’s Supportive Care Team

Cystic fibrosis in children and adults; lung transplantation; and other chronic lung disorders.

My primary research interest is the impact of cystic fibrosis (CF) on quality of life throughout the lifespan, improvements in care for patients with advanced CF lung disease and decision-making about medical treatments for patients with CF.

My other research interests are pediatric palliative care and coordination of medical care for children with special health care needs

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Charles R. Esther Jr., MD, PhD

Professor of Pediatrics

Division of Pediatric Pulmonology

Non-invasive biomarkers of cystic fibrosis and other lung diseases; atypical infections in cystic fibrosis; and pulmonary lymphangiectasia.

My research interests concentrate on airway biomarkers, exhaled breath condensate, nontuberculous mycobacteria and respiratory infections in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).

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Jennifer Lynn Goralski, MD

Assistant Professor

My research interests focus on cystic fibrosis (CF), the most common lethal genetic disorder in Caucasians, which is characterized by dehydration of the airway surface liquid (ASL) of the airway epithelial cells, leading to mucostasis and persistent bacterial infection.

My other research interests are alternative mechanisms of administering hypertonic saline to CF patients, use of novel imaging technologies in CF, and successful transition of patients to adult care.

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William Adam (Adam) Gower, MD, MS

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Asthma, genetics, rare/diffuse/interstitial lung, pediatric flexible bronchoscopy.

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James S. Hagood, MD

Professor of Pediatrics
Director, Program for Rare and Interstitial Lung Disease, Children’s Research Institute and Marsico Lung Institute

Dr. Hagood is a pediatric pulmonologist specializing in rare lung disease. His “Lung Repair Lab” studies the molecular regulation of fibroblast phenotypes in pulmonary fibrotic disease and lung alveolarization. He also studies the roles and regulation of Thy-1, a critical modulator of cellular phenotype, and epigenetic/epigenomic alterations in lung development and disease, as well as targeted therapy for diffuse lung diseases.

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Marianna M. Henry, MD, MPH

Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Asthma, cystic fibrosis and other chronic lung disorders; airway abnormalities; flexible bronchoscopy; medical education, and relationship of early childhood respiratory problems to later lung function.

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Margaret W. Leigh, MD

Professor of Pediatrics
Director, UNC Cystic Fibrosis Center

Pediatric Pulmonology. Pulmonary endoscopy; cystic fibrosis; and other chronic lung diseases.

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Ceila E. Loughlin, MD

Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Medical Director, UNC Children’s Allergy & Asthma Center

Division of Pediatric Pulmonology

Asthma, cystic fibrosis, and other chronic lung disorders; pediatric bronchoscopy; and quality improvement.

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Marianne Muhlebach, MD

Professor of Pediatrics

My research has focused on cystic fibrosis for many years. Within this a special point are infections (MRSA, anaerobic bacteria) spanning from children to adults. Areas include early onset inflammation in the lungs occurring as part of CF disease and markers of disease severity i.e. search and development of biomarkers.

Other research interests include biomarkers of CF lung disease to detect and measure disease severity earlier and more sensitive than by lung function testing, and Microbiome i.e. the breath of bacteria in CF and non-CF.

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George Z. Retsch-Bogart, MD

Professor of Pediatrics

My research is focused on identifying the optimal therapies for eradication of newly acquired Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in children with cystic fibrosis, as well as the factors which affect the acquisition of this bacteria and its persistence.

Other research includes NIH-sponsored airway modeling study with the computer modeling group and pediatric otolaryngology/head and neck surgery groups evaluating young children with congenital and acquired airway obstruction; and institutional support of clinical research conducted through the Clinical and Translational Research Center.

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Timothy J. Vece, MD

Assistant Professor, Pulmonology
Medical Director, N.C. Children's Airway Center

Pediatric Pulmonology

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