Pharmacology | Research Interests

Name	Email	PhD Program
Pruitt, Kevin WEBSITE EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Pharmacology RESEARCH INTEREST Bioinformatics, Cancer Biology, Cancer Genomics, Cell Biology, Cell Signaling, Epigenetics & Chromatin Biology, Immunology, Pharmacology	Pruitt lab research involves 3 broad areas. Interest in the first area (cancer epigenetics) stemmed from discoveries made during postdoctoral training assessing how tumor progression disrupts epigenetic mechanisms of control. The second area (Wnt pathway regulation) was the result of early screens as an Assistant Professor at LSU Health Sciences Center. We uncovered novel regulators of oncogenic Wnt signaling and published the first observation that epigenetic enzymes regulate a critical mediator of Wnt signaling (Dishevelled). The third project involves elucidating mechanisms of aromatase regulation which emerged from the obsession of early trainees in the lab with understanding mechanisms cancer-associated estrogen biosynthesis. Within the context of these three projects, I have mentored and guided multiple trainees at every level over the course of 17 years.
Miao, Yinglong WEBSITE EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Bioinformatics & Computational Biology, Pharmacology RESEARCH INTEREST Aging/Alzheimer's, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Cardiovascular Disease, Computational Biology, Drug Discovery, Pharmacology, Signal Transduction	Our research is focused on the development of novel theoretical and computational methods and AI techniques, which greatly enhance computer simulations and facilitate simulation analysis, and the application of these methods, making unprecedented contributions to biomolecular modeling and drug discovery. In collaboration with leading experimental groups, we combine complementary simulations and experiments to uncover functional mechanisms and design drugs of important biomolecules, including G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), membrane-embedded proteases, RNA-binding proteins, and RNA. At the interface of computational biology, chemistry, biophysics, bioinformatics and pharmacology, our research aims to address three major topics: (i) development of biomolecular enhanced sampling and AI techniques, (ii) multiscale computational modeling of critical cellular signaling pathways, and (iii) AI-driven drug discovery of medically important proteins and RNA for treatments of neurological disorders, heart failure and cancers.
Leiderman, Karin WEBSITE EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Biochemistry & Biophysics, Bioinformatics & Computational Biology RESEARCH INTEREST Biophysics, Cardiovascular Biology, Cell Signaling, Computational Biology, Enzymology, Hematology, Pharmacology, Quantitative Biology, Systems Biology	I am a mathematical biologist interested in the biochemical and biophysical aspects of blood clotting and emergent behavior in biological fluid-structure interaction problems. I especially love mathematical modeling, where creativity, biological knowledge, and mathematical insight meet. My goal is to use mathematical and computational modeling as a tool to learn something new about a biological system, not just to simply match model output to experimental data. My research paradigm includes an integration of mathematical and experimental approaches, together with statistical analyses and inference, to determine mechanisms underlying complex biological phenomena. This paradigm culminates in the contextualization of my findings to both the mathematical and biological communities. My research program is focused mainly on studying the influence of biochemical and biophysical mechanisms on blood coagulation, clot formation, and bleeding.
Yates, Melinda EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Pathobiology & Translational Science RESEARCH INTEREST Cancer Biology, Cancer Genomics, Cancer Preclinical Models, Cancer Signaling & Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology, Translational Medicine	Our translational research lab is focused on the earliest changes that occur in the uterus (endometrium) during cancer development related to obesity and hereditary DNA repair defects. We use preclinical tools (rodents, organoids, and cell lines) to probe mechanisms of endometrial cancer pathogenesis, in parallel with human tissue studies. Our overall goal is to understand how environmental factors, including obesity, hormones, and other exposures, influence endometrial cancer development and disparities so that we can use pharmacologic agents to prevent or reverse cancer development.
Rausser, Shannon EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Computational Biology, Neurobiology, Pharmacology	I’m interested to research the neural basis of psychiatric disorders. In particular, the neural mechanisms underlying psychedelic treatments in relation to anxiety and depression.
Vetreno, Ryan EMAIL PUBLICATIONS	PHD PROGRAM Neuroscience, Pharmacology RESEARCH INTEREST Addiction/Alcohol Research, Aging/Alzheimer's, Behavior, Biochemistry, Brain Development, Developmental Biology, Disease, Epigenetics & Chromatin Biology, Immunology, Microbiome, Molecular Biology, Molecular Mechanisms of Disease, Neurobiology, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Neuropharmacology, Pathology, Pharmacology, Regenerative Medicine	My research interests involve investigation of proinflammatory neuroimmune and epigenetic mechanisms in animal models of developmental neurobiology and neurodegeneration, including (1) alcohol pharmacology, (2) alcohol responsivity and tolerance, (3) adolescent neurodevelopment, (4) cholinergic system and neurocircuitry, (5) microglial function, and (6) Alzheimer’s disease. A major focus of the laboratory is elucidation of neuroimmune and epigenetic mechanisms underlying adolescent binge alcohol-induced disruption of basal forebrain cholinergic neurocircuitry in adulthood. A second major focus of the laboratory is investigation of lasting adolescent binge drinking-induced neuroimmune priming as a novel etiological factor contributing to the onset and progression of basal forebrain neuropathology in Alzheimer’s disease. Our laboratory combines ex vivo and in vivo rodent models of alcohol abuse and Alzheimer’s disease with innovative molecular techniques.
Jull, Ellie EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Drug Discovery, Pharmacology, Translational Medicine	“I am most interested in drug discovery research as it relates to any disease but particularly cancer. I would like to translate my research in vivo to better understand the physiological impact on the disease and how the drug can be improved to reach clinical trials. I have an interest in working towards a certificate in translational medicine too.”
Brown, Alex EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Drug Discovery, Pharmacology	“I am interested in researching the factors that underlie the transition from substance use to abuse, particularly in relation to alcohol. The idea that many people in their lifetimes will consume alcohol but only a relatively small subset of them will later develop problems with alcohol has been a driving question. I aim to study this through the use of rodent behavioral models and in vivo and ex vivo techniques.”
Hawkins, Aspen EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Biochemistry, Pharmacology	“My research interests lie at the intersection of biochemistry and pharmacology. I am specifically interested in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of disease so that better therapeutics can be developed to target those diseases.”
Kalk, Madison EMAIL	PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST Pharmacology, Translational Medicine	“I am interested in translational research that involves investigating ways to personalize medicine, especially for special patient populations. I want to learn more about drug disposition and development with a potential focus on cardiovascular and autonomic therapeutics.”

Research Interest: Pharmacology