Faculty Profile: TIMOTHY CORCORAN, PhD
Dr. Tim Corcoran’s Research
Dr. Corcoran’s primary research interests include aerosol drug delivery and aerosol-based nuclear imaging of the lung. He has been extensively involved in the development of inhaled medications for lung transplant recipients and cystic fibrosis patients and the development special techniques for improving inhaled drug delivery such as the use of low density gases and surfactants to improve drug distribution in the lungs. Dr. Corcoran had developed imaging techniques for quantifying pulmonary physiology including measurements of mucociliary clearance and liquid absorption in the airways. These techniques have been tested in a series of clinical studies involving adult and pediatric patients and will be used to screen new medications for treating lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis. Dr. Corcoran has been the Principal Investigator on several NIH RO1 and UO1 awards as well as grants from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the U.S. Army.
Figure 1: Nuclear imaging techniques are used to depict an inhaled immunosuppressant in the lungs of a lung transplant recipient. These techniques can be used to measure deposited aerosol medication doses.
Figure 2: Animation showing aerosol depositing in the lungs during a nebulizer treatment with an anti-fungal medication.
Figure 3: Mucociliary clearance in the lungs over 80 minutes as depicted using Technetium 99m sulfur colloid particles. Deposited particles are cleared from the lungs through the trachea prior to being swallowed.
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Comprehensive Lung Center (CLC)
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