Faculty Scientist gains Award to Focus on Lung Research

A pulmonary biologist at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) will spend the 2024-2025 school year researching the effects of air pollutants on lungs thanks to support from a nonprofit.

Vijay Sivaraman, Ph.D., an associate professor in the department of biological and biomedical sciences, is one of four scientists who has been named a University Scholar by RTI International, based in Research Triangle Park.

RTI will support half of Sivaraman's salary plus a small stipend to form a research project to foster collaborations between both institutions and ultimately pursue larger funding opportunities. His teaching load will be decreased to two sections of a single course so he can focus more on research.

Sivaraman is member of both the Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE) and Julius L. Chambers Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Institute (JLC-BBRI).

Sivaraman has researched how different substances impact people's lungs. One area of research is about particulate matter (air pollution) of 2.5 micrometers.

"That's the size of particles that can go deep into your lungs," Sivaraman said. "I'm going to evaluate air samples - indoor and outdoor - with members of the Durham community and evaluate their environmental exposure."

In particular, he'll engage with area residents who have higher asthma scores.

His laboratory at NCCU has two other main projects. One is studying the impact of alcohol binges and cannabis use upon lung diseases that restrict breathing.

"Cannabis hasn't been researched at all," Sivaraman said. "When you criminalize something, there's no research."

Now that many states had legalized cannabis (marijuana) for recreational use, Sivaraman thinks it time to change that.

"I'm not opposed to legalization," he said. "I'm opposed to not knowing what we are doing."

Another project is assessing the toxicity of electronic or e-cigarettes on the lungs.

Sivaraman had previously collaborated with RTI on environmental health sciences and health disparities, part of the NCCU/RTI CARES laboratory. One of the benefits of the collaboration has been allowing NCCU faculty and students to conduct research with RTI faculty and staff.

RTI International was founded in 1958 by a group of universities, government and business leaders. It was an anchor tenant of the Research Triangle Park. It now has 6,000 staff in more than 90 countries working on projects to improve the human condition.

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