Dr. Brian Button, Professor in the Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry at the University of North Carolina and a member of the Marsico Lung Institute, studies the biology of the lungs and the mechanisms behind lung disease.

We often take our lungs for granted. It’s one of those remarkable examples of how the brain places many of the body’s essential functions on autopilot. As we go about our day, our lungs quietly expand and contract, pulling in the oxygen that sustains life.

But beneath that simple rhythm lies an incredibly complex biological system. In this episode, Dr. Button explains how the lungs function at the cellular level and how understanding these processes can help scientists better understand and treat a variety of lung diseases.