Pharmaceutical Biology and Pharmacokinetics
More precisely, the Metabolic Profiling Research Group focuses on the interaction of xenobiotic-derived reactive metabolite research with CYP450 enzymes, in vitro microbiome and pharmaceutical toxicology (e.g. drug-induced liver injury or DILI, also in collaboration with the HHK Research Group.
The technologies adopted include advanced mass spectrometry-based targeted and non-targeted measurement of endogenous metabolites and GS-MS and HPLC-mediated metabolite identification. Recently, MPRG has started exploring physiological-based pharmacokinetics (PBPK) modeling to assess drug-drug interactions. Research scientists in this domain are also involved in functional characterization and regulation of drug-metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters in various tissues.
These studies are substantiated by mechanistic investigations to define the structure-toxicity relationship (STR) studies of specific drug-derived hepatotoxicants towards novel approaches to overcome liver-based injuries and diseases. Cancer and anti-inflammatory pharmacology are the main focus for many of the research projects carried by the Principal Investigators (PIs) involved in this domain, as they represent important bases for therapeutic strategies. Much effort is devoted to study the cellular redox signaling pathway and the mitochondria as a major organelle involved in the signal transduction of apoptosis, with the final purpose to develop new potential anticancer agents.
In vivo pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies are also available in our laboratories (LEAP2 group), whereby pharmaceutical products can be successfully developed through formulation development and inter-disciplinary collaborations among pharmaceutical scientists, pharmacologists and clinicians alike.
The most impactful discoveries made by PIs in this domain include:
- Global urinary metabonomics workflow using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
- Comparative hepatoprotective effects of tocotrienol analogs against drug-induced liver injury
- Anti-inflammatory pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of natural products
- Regulation of drug-metabolizing enzymes and its pharmacological and toxicological implications
- Investigating the molecular circuitry in mitochondria that regulates cell death mechanism in liver and brain
