RUITANG
DENG, PH.D. |
University
of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy |
Faculty
Position: |
Assistant
Professor |
Project
Title: |
“Transcriptional
Regulation of the Bile Salt Export Pump.” |
Project
Description: |
Human
bile salt export pump(BSEP) plays a vital role in maintaining
enterohepatic circulation of bile salts, mediating canalicular
bile salt secretion. Impairment of BSEP function or down-regulation
of BSEP expression by xenobiotics and endobiotics leads to cholestatic
liver injury. The proposed studies are designed to investigate
the transcriptional regulation of BSEP expression by oxysterols
through nuclear receptor FXR, and dissect the mechanism of transcriptional
suppression of BSEP expression by inflammatory cytokine IL-6. |
AFPE
Award: |
Burroughs-Welcome
Fund – AFPE - AACP Pharmacy Faculty New Investigator Grant |
CAROLYN
J. FRIEL, PH.D. |
Massachusetts
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences School of Pharmacy |
Faculty
Position: |
Assistant
Professor of Medical Chemistry |
Project
Title: |
“The
Synthesis of Novel Estrogen Receptor Probes Using the Suzuki Reaction.” |
Project
Description: |
The
long-term objective of this research is the development of new
and more effective therapeutic agents for the treatment of breast
cancer. The specific aims of this proposal are the 1) synthesis
2)optimization and 3) characterization of five novel estradiols.
The method used for the synthesis of the novel probes will involve
the Suzuki reaction. |
AFPE
Award: |
Novartis
Pharmaceuticals – AFPE - AACP Pharmacy Faculty New Investigator
Grant |
ABBAS
JARRAHIAN, PH.D. |
Butler
University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences |
Faculty
Position: |
Assistant Professor, Pharmacology |
Project
Title: |
“Does
the Transport of N-arachidonylethanolamine Across the Neutrophil
Plasma Membrane Require a Carrier Protein?” |
Project
Description: |
A
neutrophil (polymorphonuclear leukocycte) preparation will be
made from blood. The movement of N-arachidonylethanolamine (anadamide
or AEA) into neutropolis will be measured. AEA is an endogenous
cannabinoid ligand. Inside-out neutrophil preparations will also
be made. The transport of AEA into this preparation will also
be measured. The comparison of transport of AEA between these
two preparations (right side out an inside out) will allow us
to determine if transport is occurring via a carrier protein in
simple diffusion. |
AFPE
Award: |
Johnson
& Johnson PR&D – AFPE - AACP Pharmacy Faculty New Investigator
Grant |
Kerry
l. la PLANTE, PHARM.D. |
University
of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy |
Faculty
Position: |
Assistant
Professor |
Project
Title: |
“Evaluation
of Biofilms in Cliniacal Staphylococcus Aureus Isolates.” |
Project
Description: |
This
project will explore biofilm (slime) production in clinical Staphylococcus
aureus bacteria. Specific objectives of this proposal will be
to first, identify, measured and classify biofilm production in
clinical S, aureus isolates. Second, to identify a relationship
between biofilm producing strains and a patient source (blood,
nares, spatam, or urine) and finally; to utilize and disseminate
these results for enhancement and further understanding of biofilm
prevalence in clinical S. aureus infections. |
AFPE
Award: |
AstraZeneca
– AFPE - AACP Pharmacy Faculty New Investigator Grant |
MICHEAL
J. MILLER, RPh., Dr. PH. |
Drake
University College of Pharmacy and Health Sceiences |
Faculty
Position: |
Assistant
Professor |
Project
Title: |
“Development
and Testing of a Pharmacy-Relevant Literacy Assessment Tool.” |
Project
Description: |
The
objective of this research is to develop, refine, and test a brief,
pharmacy-relevant assessment of tool that identifies individuals
at-risk for inadequate or marginal functional literacy. The tool
will utilize the cloze procedure to assess patient reading comprehension.
After refinement by a focus group of adult learners, 120 subjects
will be asked to complete an interview that includes questions
related to demographic and background characteristics; a Short
Test of Functional Health Literacy (S-TOFHLA); and the newly developed
assessment tool. Subject performance on the newly developed assessment
tool will be compared to performance on the S-TOFHLA to determine
the diagnostic capacity of the assessment tool in identifying
individuals with inadequate or marginal functional health literacy. |
AFPE
Award: |
Bayer
Healthcare – AFPE - AACP Pharmacy Faculty New Investigator Grant |
RAJAN
RADHAKRISHMAN, PH.D. |
Western
University of Health Sciences College of Pharmacy |
Faculty
Position: |
Assistant
Professor |
Project
Title: |
“The
Role of TRPV1 Ion Channels In a Novel Model of Chronic Ischemic
Muscle Pain.” |
Project
Description: |
Ischemic
pain of muscles in the lower limb is a chronic condition, mainly
caused by peripheral artery diseases (PAD). Pain occurs during
exercise (intermittent claudication), or at rest depending on
the severity of disease. The prevalence of this condition in the
US is about 20% in the aged population, and the treatment is mainly
symptomatic. Despite the high prevalence , and the need for effective
treatment, the treatment is mainly symptomatic. Despite the high
prevalence, and the need for effective treatment, the mechanism
of pain development in this condition is poorly understood. This
is mainly due to the lack of an appropriate pre-clinical model.
It is known that ischemic pain is linked to a reduction in pH
in the affected tissues. It is also known that a cation channel
(transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 or TRPV1) transduces
pH changes in the tissues. Indeed, selective antagonists to this
channel are being synthesized and their analgesic property is
being studied by various pharmaceutical and academic laboratories.
Therefore, the current proposal aims at developing an animal model
for ischemic pain of the lower limb, and studying the role of
TRPV1 channels in ischemic pain transduction, using behavioral
and pharmacological tools. The findings from this study will be
clinically relevant and could lead to new strategies in treating
ischemic muscle pain caused by PAD. |
AFPE
Award: |
Wyeth
– AFPE - AACP Pharmacy Faculty New Investigator Grant |
ERIC
G. SAHLOFF, PHARM.D. |
The
University of Toledo College of Pharmacy |
Faculty
Position: |
Assistant
Professor of Pharmacy Practice |
Project
Title: |
“A
Comparision of Single Dose Pharmacokinetics of Atazanavir Alone
or Ritonvair-Boosted When Administered Prior To A Proton-Pump
InhibitoriIn Healthy Volunteers.” |
Project
Description: |
The
purpose of this project is to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of
atazanavir, and HIV protease inhibitor, when administered concurrently
with and in advance or proton pump inhibitor in healthy volunteers.
Atazanavir requires an acidic environment for optimal solubility
and absorption. An interaction between atazanavir and omeprazole
has been documented which has shown a decrease in atazanavir concentration
could potentially lead to virologic failure in an HIV positive
patient. It is our concentration that administering atazanvir
at the same time as or 2 hours prior to the PPI may allow for
appropriate decreases in gastric pH and improve absorption of
atazanavir. |
AFPE
Award: |
GlaxoSmithKline
– AFPE - AACP Pharmacy Faculty New Investigator Grant |
TODD
A. THOMPSON, PH.D. |
University of New Mexico, College of Pharmacy |
Faculty
Position: |
Assistant
Professor |
Project
Title: |
“Phamacogenomics
and Pharmacokinetics of Alpha-Tocopherol Metabolites as Prostate
Cancer Chemopreventive Agents.” |
Project
Description: |
Prostate
cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States.
The incidence of prostate cancer continues to rise at an alarming
rate. Vitamin E has been proposed as a means of preventing prostate
cancer, although epidemiological studies suggest that vitamin
E alone is not preventive for prostate cancer. Importantly, the
enzyme NADPH quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) may regulate the
metabolism of vitamin E to forms that inhibit prostate cancer
development. We hypothesize that metabolites of vitamin E are
responsible for the prostate cancer chemopreventive properities
of vitamin E. In this proposal, we will study how the kinetics
of vitamin E metbolites in combination with polymorphic variants
of NQ1 may affect the prostate preventive properties of vitamins
E. The long-term goal of this project is to develop health chemopreventive
measures to reduce the incidence of prostate cancer. |
AFPE
Award: |
Burroughs
Welcome Fund – AFPE - AACP Pharmacy Faculty New Investigator Grant |
JAMES
A. UCHIZONO, PHARM.D., PH.D. |
University
of the Pacific School of Pharmacy & Health Science |
Faculty
Position: |
Assistant Professor |
Project
Title: |
“Pharmacodynamics
Of 5 HT1A Auto-Receptor Desensitization In Chinese Hamster Ovary
(CHO) Cells In Response To The 5-HT1A Agonist 8- OH-DPAT.” |
Project
Description: |
The
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIS) are a popular
and efficacious class of antidepressants that relieve depression
by elevating levels of serotonin (5-HT) in the brain. However,
SSRIs can take up to six weeks to achieve these levels. The activation
and desensitization of the 5-HT1A auto- receptors modulates serotonin
release and has been hypothesized as a partial cause for the delayed
onset of action. Using a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line
expressing 5-HT1A receptors, a selective agonist will be administered
to induce desensitization. Changes in receptor quantity and function
will be obtained at different stages of 5-HT1A desensitization;
this data will form the basis of a pharmacodynamic model that
will quantitatively characterize the time-course of this 5-HT1A
densensitization phenomena. |
AFPE
Award: |
Pfizer
– AFPE - AACP Pharmacy Faculty New Investigator Grant |
SALISA
C. WESTRICK, PH.D. |
Auburn
University, Harrison School Pharmacy |
Faculty
Position: |
Assistant
Professor |
Project
Title: |
“Sustainability
And Abandonment Of Immunization Delivery Services.” |
Project
Description: |
Little
is known in regards to sustainability and abandonment of patient
care services provided by community pharmacies. The project seeks
to explore the impact of organizational and environmental factors
that influence sustainability and abandonment of patient care
services. Outsourced and in-house immunization delivery services
are selected as the innovations to be studied. A modified Dillman
methodology and telephone interviews with randomly selected- non-respondents
will be used to gather from community pharmacies’ key informants
in Washington State. Findings may help various agencies design
more effective plans to enhance sustainability of patient care
innovations such as Medication Theraphy Management Services. |
AFPE
Award: |
NACDS
Foundation – AFPE - AACP Pharmacy Faculty New Investigator Grant |
