As a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Iris Lindberg’s laboratory, his activities included the modeling of furin-related pathologies, bacterial and viral infections as well as toxicosis induced by bacterial toxin Pseudomonas aeruginosa and anthrax bacillus; and developing potential therapeutics (protein/peptide drugs) against bacterial toxicosis and other furin-related pathologies (HIV1 infection, cancer). He has used in vitro and specific in vivo models to show that the stable peptide inhibitor of furin can block bacterial toxicity, the anthrax toxin and the Pseudomonas exotoxin A. His additional research interests included the study of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis and the role of pituitary peptide hormones, particularly alpha MSH, and studying the neuroendocrine protein 7B2 as a new hormone and potential therapeutics.
Current research activities:
The integration of advanced concepts of pathophysiology and pharmacology into risk-free advanced training with the human patient simulator (health professions) and it’s practical approaches; the development of case studies, case series, active learning techniques (using the human patient simulator, patient-actor(s), and multidisciplinary approaches (pharmacist-physician-nurse).
Acquired / drug-induced long QT syndrome and drug-induced Brugada syndrome -
Current research activities include the pathophysiological/pharmacological aspects of acquired (drug-induced) long QT syndrome in medically underserved African American obstetrical patients. Following birth, when the mother and child are home, the mother’s postpartum physical and mental health is still largely ignored and unaddressed by clinicians, researchers, and women themselves. Each postpartum woman typically sees her health provider only once in the postpartum period, at the 6-week postpartum checkup. The use of medications, including prescriptions (antibiotics, antidepressants, etc.), as well as over-the-counter, herbal, and alternative products is common during pregnancy and the postpartum period, as well. Furthermore, health care providers may not be aware of the non-prescription products their patients are taking, or the interactions these products may have with prescribed medications and specific physiological conditions in the postpartum period. This aspect includes the study of cytochrome P450 drug interactions, 3A4, 2D6, 1A2, 2C substrates, inhibitors and inducers in drug-induced long QT syndrome. Prevention strategies are traditionally focused on the prenatal and delivery periods, yet a recent analysis concluded that the postpartum period is also critical. The goal of the research is to investigate risk factors in the postpartum period, which predispose to acquired long QT syndrome (ALQTS) induced by medications, developed habits, lifestyle, restrictive liquid diets, neuroticism ,and low self-esteem. The determination of the spectrum and prevalence of ALQTS in the postpartum period and identifying those factors which may predispose to acquired long QT syndrome in the postpartum period is essential for developing prevention strategies, risk identification, and patient safety. |
