Only a few medications are currently approved to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in the U.S., and these can sometimes cause significant side effects. Elizabeth Corteselli, a pediatric allergy and immunology researcher at the UNC School of Medicine, received help from NC TraCS to create a new lab model of the lung, giving researchers a way to observe how our lungs interact with everything we might breathe in, from pollution to dust to medications.

Marc Bjurlin, a urologic oncologist at UNC, is trying to solve the puzzle of how to get more people into the scientific research process. After participating in the TraCS Clinical Trialist Training Program (CTTP), and with support from his colleagues, Bjurlin has also published a series of papers looking at patient perspectives and experiences in clinical trials.

Tucked into the first floor of the Burnett-Womack building, just steps from UNC Hospitals, the Clinical and Translational Research Center (CTRC) is an unassuming spot for major advances to happen. Yet the 9,600-square-foot space acts as the physical heart of NC TraCS' efforts to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and patient care.

Translational science works to make biomedical research—from basic research on genetics and cell biology to clinical trials and public health outreach—more efficient and more aligned with patient needs. In this new interactive StoryMap, we chart how NC TraCS supports scientists at every stage of this process, fueling impactful research and powering the future of next-generation medicine in North Carolina.