Alessandra Livraghi-ButricoView profile
Associate Professor
- Animal models of inflammatory and obstructive lung diseases
- Lung mucosal immunology
- Mucin biology
- +5 more
Alessandra Livraghi-Butrico, PhD is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with appointments in the Marsico Lung Institute/Cystic Fibrosis Center and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. She is a faculty member within the Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine at the UNC School of Medicine, where she leads a research laboratory focused on airway mucus clearance mechanisms and muco-obstructive lung diseases. Dr. Livraghi-Butrico earned her BS Cum Laude from the University of Milan in 1996 and completed her PhD at the same institution in 2001. She then pursued postdoctoral training at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Cystic Fibrosis Research and Treatment Center from 2002-2005, followed by continued research as a Research Associate until 2013. She advanced to Research Assistant Professor of Medicine from 2014-2020, and currently holds the position of Research Associate Professor of Medicine since 2021. Her research program focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the derangement of mucus clearance and how its impairment impacts other components of the airway mucosal immune system. She has developed expertise in using mouse models to understand the pathogenesis of obstructive lung disease, identify unique therapeutic targets, and test novel approaches for translational research. Her lab employs multiple approaches including genetically engineered mouse models to study specific components of the airway mucus clearance system (mucins secretion and assembly, ion transport, cilia), mouse models of defective airway mucus clearance to study responses to environmental and infectious challenges, and germ-free and specific pathogen-free mice to study the influence of age and host microbiota in airway mucus composition and function. Analysis of her most recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on muco-obstructive lung diseases, particularly cystic fibrosis and related conditions. Her work spans from basic science investigations of mucus biology and airway clearance mechanisms to translational studies testing novel therapeutic approaches. Recent trends show increasing focus on the role of specific proteins in mucus properties, interactions between mucus and immune responses, and development of new treatments for airway obstruction. Her research often involves interdisciplinary collaborations across pulmonary medicine, microbiology, immunology, and pharmacology. Dr. Livraghi-Butrico actively mentors students and researchers in her laboratory, guiding them through experimental design, execution, and interpretation of results related to airway biology and disease mechanisms. Her research is supported by competitive grants including a recently awarded NHLBI R01 grant focused on studying the influence of age and host microbiota in airway mucus composition and function, complemented by efforts to define the pediatric airway epithelial landscape in healthy humans. The Livraghi-Butrico laboratory operates within the Marsico Lung Institute at UNC Chapel Hill, taking advantage of state-of-the-art facilities for animal modeling, airway cell culture, and molecular analysis. Her team collaborates extensively with other researchers at UNC and beyond, contributing to a vibrant research environment focused on understanding and treating respiratory diseases characterized by mucus dysfunction.
