About
Dr. Noah's research career has focused on the effects of common respiratory viruses on airway mucosal cells, and on the impact of environmental exposures on anti-virus host defenses. In recent years, this has led to a series of studies on factors affecting responses to live attenuated influenza vaccine in human volunteers, focusing on nasal mucosal and systemic responses in healthy volunteers and in the setting of pollutant exposures.
Dr. Noah's expertise in translational and clinical research led to a collaboration with Dr. Melinda Beck, for her project linking obesity to altered immune responses to flu vaccine in adults. This work has led to important discoveries regarding the blunting of humoral and cell-mediated immunity due to overweight and obesity.
Teaching Interests
From the standpoint of clinical teaching, Dr. Noah's philosophy and practice have evolved significantly under the guidance of the UNC Academy of Educators, to which he was elected in 2013. His teaching style has moved from the traditional lecture-based to a more flexible bedside style, which is more compatible with current clinical workflows.
From a research standpoint, multiple trainees at the graduate school or post-doctoral level have participated in the studies described above, providing opportunities for Dr. Noah to mentor and teach. A specific role he has in the Jaspers research group is to provide guidance to trainees for translational and clinical studies involving human subjects. His experience as an IRB member and member of the Scientific Review Subcommittee has been valuable in this regard.
For all types of learners, he has been a strong teacher of scientific writing for publication , an area where he has natural skills and where his editorial experience is valuable.
Service Activities
In the area of professional service, Dr. Noah has served as a member of the IRB’s Scientific Review Subcommittee, a substantial weekly service role for the School of Medicine. He has taken on a substantial administrative job in the Department of Pediatrics with his appointment as vice chair under Dr. Stiles in 2011, and continuing as vice chair for faculty development under Dr. Burks in 2012. In this role, he has helped create a comprehensive faculty development program.
Finally, he serves as deputy editor for the journal Pediatric Pulmonology, which has allowed him to gain more in-depth knowledge and influence on the cutting edge of his subspecialty. His goal as he enters the later parts of his career is to continue to help his discipline adapt to changing realities in ways that preserve the time-tested best practices for success in academics, but which ultimately serve patient outcomes and the health of children.
Education
- Fellowship, Pediatric Pulmonology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1991
- Resident, Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1988
- Resident, Pediatrics, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, 1987
- MD, Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1985
- BA, English Literature, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1981
