Robert Tarran

Dr. Tarran is a Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology and is a member of UNC’s Lineberger Cancer Center and Marsico Lung Institute. Dr Tarran received his BSc from The University of Leeds and his PhD in Physiology from Newcastle University in the UK and completed post-doctoral research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of California at Berkley. Dr. Tarran has had over 20 years of experience in studying airway ion channels and their role in lung disease and is a leader in the study of CF epithelia. Dr. Tarran was instrumental in developing the methodology to measure ion channel activity under native conditions seen in the lung. Over the last 5 years, he has also studied e-cigarettes and published some of the first studies on vaping in human lungs. In addition to founding Eldec, Dr. Tarran founded Spyryx Biosciences, which reached phase 2 clinical trials with a novel therapy for cystic fibrosis.