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Joseph Brain is at the Harvard School of Public Health, where he is the Cecil K. and Philip Drinker Professor of Environmental Physiology, in the Department of Environmental Health. He was also educated at Harvard University, where he obtained the MS both in1962 and 1963, and the DS  in 1966.

Prof. Brain's research emphasizes responses to inhaled gases, particulates, and microbes. His studies extend from the deposition of inhaled particles in the respiratory tract to their clearance by respiratory defense mechanisms. Of particular interest is the role of lung macrophages; this resident cell keeps lung surfaces clean and sterile. Moreover, the lung macrophage is also a critical regulator of inflammatory and immune responses. The context of these studies on macrophages is the prevention and pathogenesis of environmental lung disease as well as respiratory infection.

His research has utilized magnetic particles in macrophages throughout the body as a non-invasive tool for measuring cell motility and the response of macrophages to various mediators and toxins. This was stimulated by collaboration with David Cohen of MIT in the area of Biomagnetism.

Other experiments deal with the use of lung lavage to obtain and characterize macrophages. A rodent bioassay utilizing lung lavage has been developed; the assay has been used to estimate the relative toxicity of new and complex mixtures such as molds, urban dusts, welding fume, new materials being used in the workplace, as well as drugs and excipients administered by inhalation, including nanomaterials.

Respiratory infection is emphasized and includes mechanistic studies of the lung's defenses against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an important pulmonary pathogen for patients with cystic fibrosis. Related studies deal with opportunistic lung infections in AIDS such as Pneumocystis carinii.

Another area of study is drug delivery to and through the lungs. The amount and anatomic distribution of an inhaled radioactively-tagged asthma mediator antagonist and an elastase inhibitor have been measured. Other experiments focus on the fact of recombinant proteins such as macrophage colony stimulating factors, neutral endopeptidase, surfactant apoproteins, antibodies, interleukins, and hormones delivered to and through the lungs.