Alexei G. Basnakian

Dr. Alexei G. Basnakian is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine. He also serves as a Research Career Scientist at the Central Arkansas Veteran’s Healthcare System. His research focuses on the role of DNases in cell death mechanisms, particularly in kidney injury, cancer therapy, and toxicology. He holds a Medical Doctorate from Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy (1976), a Ph.D. from the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences (1981), and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School (1988–1989).

Dr. Basnakian leads a research team investigating DNase-mediated DNA fragmentation in acute kidney injury, ischemia, and chemotherapy response. His work emphasizes developing DNase inhibitors to protect tissues or selectively target cancer cells. Key grants include VA Merit Review (2019–2023), USDA-AFRI (2018–2022), and NIH/NIGMS COBRE grants (2015–2021). He has mentored numerous researchers and collaborated on projects involving nanomaterial toxicity, radiation countermeasures, and antimicrobial agents.

His research spans drug development (e.g., thiazole-androstenone derivatives for melanoma), radiation-induced injury mitigation, and novel antibiotics targeting Gram-positive bacteria. He has published extensively in Nature Communications, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, and Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, among others. Ongoing projects include DNase-targeted therapies for rhabdomyolysis and bone fragility prevention.

• Grants & Leadership: Core Director (NIGMS P20 COBRE), Principal Investigator (VA Merit Review), Subcontract PI (USDA-AFRI)
• Key Themes: DNase biology, kidney protection, antimicrobial drug design, radiation biology
• Collaborative Networks: UAMS Pepper Center, Arkansas INBRE, Veteran’s Health System