Noted asthma and COPD expert Dr. J. Mark FitzGerald has joined the advisory board of St. John’s medtech startup BreatheSuite.

FitzGerald earned his medical degree from University College in Dublin, and is now listed as the director of the Centre for Heart and Lung Health at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, as well as a member of the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine.

BreatheSuite sells a combination of hardware sensors and software designed to offer users of aerosol medication inhalers feedback on whether they are using correct technique.

The company said in a statement that research suggests about 90 percent of inhalers are used incorrectly.

“BreatheSuite’s innovative patient-centric, behaviour change based products can help asthma and COPD patients overcome the barriers to proper inhaler technique and adherence,” said FitzGerald in the statement. “The incorporation of inhaler technique feedback along with behaviour change research sets BreatheSuite apart.”

BreatheSuite, which was founded by CEO Brett Vokey, raised $550,000 of equity capital in October.