The Drug Action Core is directed toward drug mechanism and signal transduction with special emphasis on cellular differentiation, development, and function. Interest is concentrated on drug interaction at the cellular, genetic, molecular, and biochemical levels using diverse model systems including mammalian cells, rodents, zebrafish, crustaceans, Drosophila, and yeast.
Faculty research interests include use of nanoparticles for removal of targeted cells and development of high resolution nanoparticle labeling systems for correlative microscopy (Albrecht); molecular genetics of hormone action and developmental timing (Bashirullah); therapeutic applications of vitamin A and vitamin D analogs (Clagett-Dame); genetic approaches to identify genes involved in cancer initiation, progression, and therapy resistance (Collier); bioactivation of drugs, industrial chemicals, and environmental toxicants; biochemical basis for target organ selectivity (Elfarra); identifying critical mechanisms regulating vertebrate development that are discrupted by environmental contaminants (Heideman); signal transduction, transcriptional control of neuroprotective genes and neurotoxicity in Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Huntington's and Neuromuscular disease (Johnson): neuropeptides, proteomics, biomarker discovery, and biological mass spectrometry (Li); molecular basis of prostate development and prostate cancer progression (Marker); biochemical pharmacology of hormones (Mellon); reproductive and developmental toxicity of dioxin and nanomaterials (Peterson); pharmacogenomics and the metabolic basis of arylamine drug toxicity and arylamine carcinogenesis (Trepanier). Extensive communication occurs between the Discovery, Action, and Delivery Cores because of the central importance of drug recognition processes.
In some measure the Action Core draws its identity from the traditional fields of pharmacology, toxicology, cell biology, and genetics. Research in the Drug Action Core is funded among others by the NIH, NSF, the ALS Society of America, the Packard Center for ALS Research at Johns Hopkins, the Hereditary Disease Foundation, and SEA Grant.
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DRUG ACTION CORE FACULTY: Albrecht, Bashirullah, Clagett-Dame, Collier, Elfarra, Heideman, Li, Johnson, Marker, Mellon, Peterson, Rudy, Trepanier.