Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Dr. Zhou is a professor in the School of Health Sciences at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology RMIT University in Australia. Having originally studied and practiced clinical medicine in China he undertook his PhD in pharmacology at the University of Auckland, New Zealand and has also worked at the National University of Singapore and the Queensland University of Technology. He is currently affiliated with the WHO Collaborating Center for Traditional Medicine. Professor Zhou is the editor of Drug Metabolism Letters and acts as a guest editor for Current Pharmaceutical Design and Current Drug Metabolism. In addition he is an Associate Editor or Editorial Board Member of several other international journals including Current Drug Therapy the Open Journal of Drug Metabolism and Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management. He is a reviewer for dozens of international scientific journals including Drug Safety the International Journal of Pharmaceutics, the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, the Lancet and Pharmacology and Therapeutics. In 2005 he was the recipient of the Research Excellence Award at the Pharmacy Honors Day from the National University of Singapore, Department of Pharmacy. He currently has published over 220 refereed journal papers with more than 1400 citations.

Professor Zhou's major research interests include pharmacokinetics, Pharmacogenetics, evaluation of herbal medicines and drug delivery.

I am an experienced and passionate Senior Electrophysiologist, Team Leader and Project Manager having worked for over 25 years in academia and industry, covering a wide range of teaching and managerial responsibilities while working on research projects, mainly in the neuroscience, gastrovascular and cardiovascular fields. As Head of Electrophysiology at SB Drug Discovery, I am responsible for managing and training the electrophysiological team on the planning, organization, execution and delivery of both internal development and external client-focused fee for service projects. I oversee organizing and coordinating the work required for our electrophysiological projects between our different teams (Molecular Biology, Cell biology and Screening). In strict collaboration with our senior Management, I have been extensively involved in the planning and expansion of our services, recruitment process and acquisition of new scientific equipment. From May 1998 to December 2020, I have submitted over 500 scientific reports to clients, including large and small pharmaceutical companies, biotech, and various academic institutions across the world.

GLP and PRINCE2 trained, Manual and Automated patch-clamp techniques on primary cells, Standard Cell & Molecular Biology, purification of cDNA & mRNA, Fluorescence-based assays

James (Jim) A. Uchizono is a Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry of the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, University of the Pacific. He holds degrees two B.S. degrees from the University of California, Irvine in Chemistry and Biology; and, he holds doctoral degrees in Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) and Biopharmaceutics (Ph.D.) from the University of California, San Francisco with minors in Optimal Control Theory and Clinical Pharmacology. He also serves as a faculty member for UCSF’s “Pharmacokinetics for Scientist” training workshop. His research areas include the mathematical modeling of linear and non-linear, time-varying pharmacological cascades; specifically, the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of drug tolerance and the delayed onset of action of anti depressants from neurosurgical and microdialysis data obtained from his research group. Additionally, he serves as Assistant Dean and Director of the undergraduate Pre-Health Office providing leadership over all academic, professional, and student affairs to undergraduate students across multiple healthcare programs and majors.

Mathematical modeling of linear and non-linear, time-varying pharmacological cascades; specifically, the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of drug tolerance and the delayed onset of action of anti depressants from neurosurgical and microdialysis data obtained from his research group

Raghu Tadagavadi is a Junior Faculty in the Department of Medicine at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, PA, USA. He received PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with specialization in Immunotoxicology from Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, PA. He has obtained graduate training in Veterinary Medicine and a Master degree in Immunology from India. He has received over four years of postdoctoral training in Immunotoxicology and Immunopharmacology at Pennsylvania State University and Emory University. Raghu is a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology. He also serves as reviewer and editorial board member for many peer reviewed journals including American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology, British Journal of Pharmacology, Cytokine, Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceuticals, Journal of Clinical and Cellular Immunology, Journal of Drug Metabolism and Toxicology, Journal of Clinical Toxicology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Plos One. Raghu’s research interests are in the areas of Immunological Toxicology and Pharmacology, and his work focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which the immune system regulates the effects of toxins and pharmaceuticals.

Immunotoxicology, Immunopharmacology, Toxicology

Dr. Vishnu Suppiramaniam has received his PhD in Biomedical Sciences from Auburn University in the year 1993 and DVM in Clinical Residency from Tuskegee University, Alabama in the year 2000. Currently, he is working as an Associate Profesor, Department of Pharmacal sciences in Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University. He has successfully completed his Administrative responsibilities as Director of Neurosciences Laboratories in Deaprtment of Biology, Tuskegee University. He is serving as an editorial member of several reputed journals like Journal of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and World Journal of Biological Chemistry. He is an Executive Officer of NAT Biosciences & Technology Conference since 1997.

Neurophysiology laboratory and the techniques employed, Insulin Resistance, Integrin linked kinase (ILK) and hippocampal synaptic plasticity.

Dr. Antoine Al-Achi has received his PhD from Biomedical Sciences/Pharmaceutics, Northeastern University. Currently, he is working as an Associate Profesor, Department of Pharmaceutical sciences in Campbell University.

Dr. Antoine Al-Achi has received his PhD from Biomedical Sciences/Pharmaceutics, Northeastern University. Currently, he is working as an Associate Profesor, Department of Pharmaceutical sciences in Campbell University.

Dr. Paraskevi F. Katsakiori finished her studies towards a Medical Degree from the School of Medicine, University of Patras in 2000. She, then, pursued postgraduate studies in Basic Medical Sciences in the same Institution, where she got her M.Sc degree in 2003. She finished her PhD studies in the field of Pharmacology-Toxicology in June 2010. She holds the medical practice professional license since 2000 and the family practice license since 2007. She has participated in more than 40 presentations in national and international scientific conferences and authored or co-authored more than 15 peer review journal papers and 8 medical book chapters. The last four years, she actively acts as a referee in various scientific journals.

Epidemiologic, Pharmacogenomic and Pharmacokinetic studies.

Dr. Bin Guo received his B.S. degree from University of Science and Technology of China in 1992, and his PhD from State University of New York at Buffalo in 1999. After a post-doc fellowship at the Burnham Institute in the group of Professor John C. Reed, he joined North Dakota State University in December 2003 as an Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2010. His research interests focus on the tumor suppressing microRNAs that regulate cancer cell apoptosis and growth. Dr. Guo’s research has been funded by NIH R03, R21, and P20 grants, as well as a grant from Department of Defense. He has served on study sections for Department of Defense and Israel Science Foundation. He is a co-author of two international patents on apoptosis regulatory proteins. In 2009, he was selected in Who’s Who in America.

1. Novel Mechanisms Regulating Cancer Progression. In this project, we study how cancer cells develop apoptosis resistance and metastatic capability as they progress from benign state to malignant cancer. Our research focuses on the epigenetic action and regulation of tumor-suppressing microRNAs. Combining basic research and translational studies, we try to understand the role of miR-205 and miR-31 in human prostate cancer and to develop new therapeutics to overcome drug resistance. 2. Targeting Histone Modifications for Cancer Therapy. In this project, we study how new therapeutic agents induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by targeting histone modifications (acetylation and methylation) in cancer cells. Using both in vitro studies and mouse models, we work on developing novel strategies to enhance therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of cancer.

Yi Jin obtained a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 2000. She completed her M.Sc in Chemistry (Protein Crystallography) and B.Sc in Chemistry from Peking University, China. She has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles, is serving as a reviewer for multiple journals and a guest associate editor for the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology.

Structure/function of steroid transforming enzymes; Pharmacology and toxicology of synthetic hormones (synthetic glucocorticoids and asthma, cardiovascular effects of progestins); Aldo-keto reductases; cytochrome P450 reductase genetic variants

H. Viernstein studied Pharmacy at the University of Vienna and received his Master’s degree in 1977. After his PhD-study at the Austrian Research Center Seibersdorf, Division Life Sciences, he graduated as doctor of natural sciences in 1981. After several postdoctoral fellowships in Berlin, Freiburg, etc. he became assistant professor at the University of Vienna and obtained his habilitation in the field of pharmaceutical technology. He acted as visiting professor at the universities of Chiang Mai, Athens, and Innsbruck. Since 1999 H. Viernstein is Full Professor and Head of the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics at the University of Vienna.

Microbiology of probiotics Technology of cyclodextrins

Dr. Angelica Merlot is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Pathology Department of the University of Sydney. She heads the Cancer Therapeutics Group within the Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology Program. During her PhD, she investigated the pharmacological mechanisms of action and membrane transport of anti-cancer thiosemicarbazones. The most potent agent of this class is entering clinical trials in 2016. Angelica is interested in improving the targeting and pharmacological complications of cancer therapies that cause toxicity and drug resistance. Her current research focuses on the characterization of the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways in cancer and modulating these signals to induce cancer cell death and inhibit metastasis.

Oncology, Drug Delivery, Albumin, ER Stress, Endocytosis, Metastasis, Cell Biology, Membrane Transport, Cancer Cell Biology, Iron Metabolism, Chemotherapy, Molecular Biology.

Dr. Thakker is the Howard Q Ferguson Distinguished Professor, Associate Dean for Entrepreneurial Development and Global Engagement, and Director, Bill and Karen Campbell Faculty Mentoring Program at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. From 1998 to 2008, he served as the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education. Prior to joining UNC in 1996, Dr. Thakker spent (i) eight years at Glaxo Inc. where he was Director of Drug Metabolism Department, (ii) four years at the Center for Biologics, FDA, and (iii) eight years at the National Institutes of Health. He obtained Batchelor of Pharmacy from Bombay University, India, M.S. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from Columbia University, New York, and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Kansas at Lawrence. Dr. Thakker has published over 160 peer-reviewed papers, reviews and book chapters and co-edited two books. His current research interests are (i) mechanisms of drug transport across intestine, (ii) novel intestinal absorption mechanism and pharmacology of metformin as anti-diabetic and anti-cancer drug, and (iii) optimizing pediatric dosing by study of drug metabolism and transport in children and adults. In the past he has worked on mechanismbased design of intestinal absorption enhancers, stereo-selectivity of cytochrome P-450 enzymes, chemical carcinogenesis by metabolic activation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, and catechol O-methyl transferase enzymology.

Mechanisms of drug transport; structure-transport relationships; prodrug strategies for tumor-targeting; metabolism of drugs and xenobiotics; delivery and disposition of macromolecules

Dr. Bo Pan completed his Ph.D. from China Agricultural University, Beijing, China. He worked as a research assistant in the department of Antibody Engineering and Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, P R China. He has numerous publications in peer reviewed journals, book chapters, book editing, journal editorial boards and reviewer. . He has a good record of publications on privileged peer-reviewed journals like Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, World Journal of Neuroscience etc. In research, he focuses on the pathogenesis of Prion disease, Neurodegenerative diseases, rabies, Encephalitozoonosis and Avian influenza disease. He has more than 24 publications, which has been cited for 86 times so far. Currently he is a postdoc of the department of Basic Biomedical Science, University of South Dakota, USA.

Protein degradation in neurodegeneration, molecular mechanisms of neuroprotection; Molecular mechanisms of progression of various heart diseases to congestive heart failure; Antibody engineering for infectious disease prevention and control, and bacteriophage based prevention and treatment of multi-drug resistance bacterial infections

Mr. Sachin Thakkar is currently at the University of Texas at Austin, Texas, USA. He is currently working on a novel rapid freezing technology to prepare dry powder vaccines using aluminum salt as an adjuvant, to overcome its long lasting problem of aggregating upon freezing. He is also working on the mucosal delivery these powder vaccines to enable needle free immunization. Additionally, he is also working on understanding the mechanisms of the better adjuvant activity of the aluminum nanoparticles, and microneedle based transdermal nanoparticulate vaccine delivery systems. His research article was chosen as a cover story by the Journal of Controlled Release. He is also recipient of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Graduate Student Research Award in Biotechnology, and American Association of Indian Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAiPS) Graduate Student Research Award 2016. He was also awarded Dean’s fellowship at the University of Texas at Austin. He serves as a student representative for the Manufacturing Science and Engineering section (MSE), and secretary for the Excipient Focus Group (EFG) at the AAPS organization. He is Reviewer for more than 10 different journals and is serving on editorial board for around 8 journals. He has authored some peer reviewed publications, invited book chapters and review papers as well.

• Vaccine formulation development • Immunology • Microneedle based vaccine delivery systems • Needle free immunization • Mucosal vaccines

Dr. Kevin Murnane's research group is focused on the etiology, consequences, and treatment of disorders of the central nervous system. His research lab has the most well developed interests in the study of drug addiction and Alzheimer's disease. To develop new treatments for these disorders, the Murnane group uses techniques such as behavioral pharmacology, operant conditioning, neuroimaging, in vivo microdialysis, computational chemistry, analytical chemistry, drug formulation, physiology, electroencephalography, and immunohistochemistry. Dr. Murnane collaborates with other scientists within the Mercer College of Pharmacy to drive these studies, including scientists within the Center for Drug Delivery Research and the Center for Drug Design. The Murnane lab also works closely with scientists at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, the Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina and the Riken Brain Science Institute in Japan.

His research interests include etiology, consequences, and treatment of disorders of the central nervous system, both psychiatric and neurological disorders, behavioral pharmacology, neuropharmacology, neurotoxicology, neurochemistry, substance abuse, cognition, depression, anxiety, learning and memory, and sleep.

Dr. Varun Khurana obtained his Bachelors in Pharmacy from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi,, India. Dr. Khurana graduated with a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry from reputed University of Missouri Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA. Currently, he is working as Formulations Scientist at Insys Therapeutics, Inc., USA, a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes innovative supportive care products. Dr. Khurana’s research experience encompasses both industry and academia. Dr. Khurana worked on National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded research projects. Dr. Khurana’s research was focused on understanding the role of drug transporters (influx as well as efflux) in disposition of various anti-cancer drugs. He not only studied the alteration of drug pharmacokinetics via drug transporters in liver but also how the modulation affects brain as well plasma pharmacokinetics of anti-cancer drugs. Furthermore, his research work was focused on ocular drug delivery through nanoparticles. His research has been published in several peer-reviewed journals and books in the field of pharmaceutical sciences. Dr. Khurana’s current research at Insys Therapeutics is focused on development of oral solutions and sublingual sprays for new product development.

Novel Drug Delivery Systems, Solubility and Bioavailability Enhancement, Targeted Drug Delivery, Cancer Therapy, Targeted Delivery, Gene Therapy, Nanotechnology, Novel Drug Delivery Systems, Formulation Development (Oral solids, Liquid and Parenterals), Controlled or Modified Release

For the past 12 years, Dr. Adel served as director of the Oncology Residency Program and manager of Clinical Pharmacy Services at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Adel earned her PharmD from the School of Pharmacy at Lebanese American University in Byblos, Lebanon. She received her first undergraduate degree, a bachelor of science in geology, at the American University of Beirut. After receiving her PharmD, Dr. Adel moved to the United States and received post graduate training at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through the International Outreach Program. She then worked as a research assistant at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she continued on to complete a pharmacy practice residency (PGY-1) as well as an oncology specialty residency (PGY-2).Since she began her tenure at Sloan-Kettering in 2004, oncology treatment has undergone a “major evolution” with thousands of new medications approved, including targeted drugs and immunotherapy. “These developments call on pharmacists to become more specialized, generating growth in hiring of pharmacists, more collaboration between pharmacists and oncologists, and a greater appreciation for the role of pharmacists,” said Dr. Adel. She also served as an associate clinical professor at St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Prior to joining Sloan-Kettering, Dr. Adel worked as a clinical specialist in hematology/oncology at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. While in Washington she also was an instructor in pharmacology at the University Of Maryland School Of Pharmacy in Baltimore. Dr. Adel has spoken and published widely, and worked on numerous special projects in oncology. Among her more significant achievements, she has made meaningful strides in the improvement of patient care.

Hematology/Oncology

Margitta Dathe studied Physics at the Humboldt University of Berlin and completed her PhD in 1978 from the Academy of Sciences of the GDR. Since 1999, she has been working as Head of the Peptide-Lipid Interaction Research Group of the Leibniz Research Institute of Molecular Pharmacology. Her research interest is focused on targeting, cellular uptake promoting peptides and lipid-based carrier systems as well as on antimicrobial peptides. She has published more than 100 papers in reputed journals

Molecular Pharmacology antimicrobial peptides

This Center aims to host and coordinate research in pharmaceutical nanocarriers, controlled drug and gene delivery, drug targeting, intracellular targeting, experimental medical imaging, and cancer immunology, and train young researches in these areas.

Chemistry Biochemistry

Mikhail Durymanov South Dakota State University USA

Physics and Technology