Sharyn Baker, PharmD, PhD
Gertrude Parker Heer Chair in Cancer Research
Dr. Baker’s cancer-relevant research interests broadly cover translational and clinical pharmacology of anti-cancer agents. Recently, her laboratory has focused on the preclinical development of anti-cancer agents for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), with an emphasis on tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) drug combinations. Dr. Baker’s research interests include developmental therapeutics for AML, clinical pharmacology of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, variability in anti-cancer drug disposition and investigational anti-cancer drug development.
Other research areas:
Cancer,
Clinical & Pre-Clinical Pharmacology
Daniel Binzel
Research Assistant Professor
Other research areas:
Cancer,
Nanotechnology & Drug Delivery Systems
Emanuele Cocucci, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Dr. Cocucci studies basic mechanisms of membrane trafficking and is interested in how these processes deviate during cancer development when compared to normal cells. His research adopts multiple techniques, including traditional biochemistry, cell biology, and high resolution fluorescent live cell microscopy. Dr. Cocucci’s goal is to define novel targets for cancer therapy and to improve drug delivery, studying the internalization pathways and the mechanisms of endosomal escape adopted by artificial and biological nanovectors.
Christopher Coss, PhD
Assistant Professor
Dr. Coss' research focuses on endocrine disease mechanisms and developing novel therapies for advanced prostate cancer. He also has an interest in chemoprevention of prostate and hepatocellular carcinomas using novel hormonal approaches.
Other research areas:
Cancer
Eric Eisenmann, PharmD, PhD
Assistant Professor
My current research focuses on determining how targeted and cytotoxic chemotherapy impact the brain and how drug transporters contribute to these effects. Consistent with this research, I am interested in the translational pharmacology of anticancer therapeutics, especially the characterization of preclinical and clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
Other research areas:
Cancer,
Central Nervous System Disorders
Rajgopal Govindarajan, DVM, PhD
Professor
Dr. Govindarajan’s laboratory is interested in understanding and overcoming drug resistance in pancreatic cancer. His training is in the areas of animal sciences, cancer biology and drug transport-based pharmacokinetics, and has extensively used cell and animal models to evaluate nucleoside and oligonucleotide therapies. He also developed several new insights into the pharmacology and cytotoxicity of nucleoside analog drugs. Current focuses in his laboratory are to understand the epigenetic alterations in pancreatic cancer and to evaluate novel epigenetic reversal agents for effective pancreatic cancer treatment. Understanding epigenetic regulation of pluripotent stem cell factors in microRNA biogenesis is also of interest.
Other research areas:
Cancer,
Chemical Biology
Peixuan Guo, PhD
Professor
Dr. Guo works on both basic research and its subsequent practical applications, focusing on understanding the mechanisms and assembly of viral DNA packaging motor, and using components of the biomotor for various applications. By applying interdisciplinary approaches including chemistry, biophysics, biochemistry, nanotechnology, bioengineering, molecular biology, cell biology, computer modeling, and pharmaceutical sciences, Dr. Guo studies RNA, DNA and proteins and their interaction.
Dr. Guo’s current project areas are:
RNA nanotechnology and its application for the delivery of siRNA/miRNA/drug for the treatment of cancers, viral infection, and genetic diseases
Nanobiotechnology, including structure, function and mechanism of Phi29 DNA-packaging nanomotor
Single molecule imaging and optical instrumentation to study the interaction of RNA, DNA, and protein
Single pore technology for DNA sequencing, macromolecule detection, and disease diagnosis, using channels of variety of viral DNA packaging motors
Dr. Guo’s current project areas are:
RNA nanotechnology and its application for the delivery of siRNA/miRNA/drug for the treatment of cancers, viral infection, and genetic diseases
Nanobiotechnology, including structure, function and mechanism of Phi29 DNA-packaging nanomotor
Single molecule imaging and optical instrumentation to study the interaction of RNA, DNA, and protein
Single pore technology for DNA sequencing, macromolecule detection, and disease diagnosis, using channels of variety of viral DNA packaging motors
Other research areas:
Cancer,
Nanotechnology & Drug Delivery Systems
Kari Hoyt, PhD
Professor
Our research team members are engaged in pre-clinical target identification for pharmacologic treatment of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. We use in vivo and in vitro high-resolution fluorescence microscopy and high-content analysis of live neurons to reveal complex interactions between signaling pathways that regulate cell survival/function and circadian clock signaling. This work is designed to identify new avenues of chronotherapeutic target development for CNS disorders. Current work focuses on two related themes: (1) Alzheimer’s Disease and desynchronization of cortico-limbic circadian rhythms and (2) MAPK signaling: gates, oscillators and circadian timing.
Other research areas:
Central Nervous System Disorders,
Clinical & Pre-Clinical Pharmacology
Keli Hu, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
The long-term research goal in Dr. Hu's laboratory is to understand the mechanisms in myocardial ischemia and cardioprotection. The lab is particularly interested in studying the regulation of ion channels and their signaling molecules in the cardiovascular system, with a special emphasis on subcellular localization, traffic regulation, molecular mechanisms and their physiological relevance, particularly as these processes relate to human cardiovascular diseases. The ultimate goal is to explore the challenges in identifying therapeutic targets and to help developing preventive and therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular diseases.
Other research areas:
Cardiovascular Disorders
Deanna L. Kroetz, PhD, BS Pharm
Dean
The overarching goal of the Kroetz laboratory is to understand the molecular basis of interindividual variability in drug response and toxicity. Genomic association studies are used to identify genes and pathways involved in common toxicities associated with cancer therapy, including taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy and bevacizumab-induced hypertension. Functional genomic studies are then used to define the role of these genes and pathways in the dose-limiting toxicities. A second area of research is on the role of ABC transporters in drug resistance and physiologic function. Ongoing efforts include cryo-EM studies of MRP4 and investigation of MRP4 in resistance to immunotherapy.
Other research areas:
Cancer,
Clinical & Pre-Clinical Pharmacology
Robert Lee, PhD
Professor
Dr. Lee's lab is focused on targeted drug delivery systems based on nanoparticles. Nanoparticles can serve as carriers of therapeutic agents, including nucleic acids such as siRNA, miRNA and anti-miRs, and facilitate their therapeutic delivery. The lab's effort is focused on improving nanoparticle composition based on rational design and directed at clinical applications. Ongoing projects include developing miR-targeting lipid nanoparticles and targeted chemotherapeutic drug formulations and bioconjugates for therapy of solid tumors, leukemias, diabetic wounds, and other diseases.
Other research areas:
Nanotechnology & Drug Delivery Systems,
Cancer
Navjot Pabla, PhD
Associate Professor
Our laboratory is focused on identifying therapeutic targets for kidney diseases. Acute kidney injury and renal cell carcinoma are the two major areas of interest. Our recent work has identified several protein kinases and membrane transporters as therapeutic targets for renal disorders. We utilize high throughput screening assays and functional genomics to identify molecular targets for renal diseases, followed by validation in in vivo animal models. The overall goal of these studies is to identify new therapeutic strategies to treat acute kidney injury and renal cell carcinoma, diseases for which no effective therapies are currently available.
Other research areas:
Clinical & Pre-Clinical Pharmacology
Mitch A. Phelps, PhD
Professor
Dr. Phelps’ lab is involved in both pre-clinical and clinical development of numerous small molecule anti-cancer and immuno-modulatory agents under development. Their work aims to understand the mechanisms involved in the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (i.e. pharmacokinetics, PK) of these agents, and how both the PK and pharmacodynamic (PD) effects of these agents are altered by genetic differences (polymorphisms) among individuals (i.e. pharmacogenetics, PG).
Other research areas:
Cancer,
Clinical & Pre-Clinical Pharmacology
Dan Shu, MD
Research Associate Professor
Other research areas:
Nanotechnology & Drug Delivery Systems,
Cancer
Alex Sparreboom, PhD
Professor
Dr. Sparreboom's research studies the contribution of solute carriers to chemotherapy-induced toxicity profiles, identifies chemical inhibitors of critical transporters, translates the findings to clinical trials in collaboration with scientists and oncologists, and ultimately improves the long-term outcome of patients with cancer by modulating the therapeutic window of widely-used chemotherapeutics. His research is currently focused on the development of transport modulators that could be used in conjunction with platinum-based drugs and tyrosine-kinase inhibitors, with emphasis on the development of innovative preclinical model systems.
Other research areas:
Cancer,
Clinical & Pre-Clinical Pharmacology
Jack Yalowich, PhD
Professor
Dr. Yalowich’s lab focuses on mechanisms of action and resistance to a class of anticancer agents known as DNA topoisomerase IIα (TOP2α; 170 kDa ) inhibitors, such as the anticancer agent etoposide. Ongoing projects characterize alternative RNA processing/intronic polyadenylation of TOP2α pre-mRNA that results in formation of a 90 kDa truncated form of TOP2α in acquired resistance to etoposide. Strategies to circumvent drug resistance involve CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to restore proper RNA splicing function in resistant cells. In addition, the role of micro-RNAs as determinants of anticancer drug resistance is under investigation. Finally, the Yalowich lab actively collaborates with Dr. Mark-Mitton-Fry from the Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy to evaluate the mechanisms of action and efficacy of newly synthesized Novel Bacterial Topoisomerase Inhibitors (NBTIs).
Other research areas:
Cancer,
Infectious Diseases