Liana Asatryan

Liana Asatryan, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of Southern California's School of Pharmacy, where she serves in the Titus Family Department of Clinical Pharmacy. She lectures in the undergraduate and MS in Management of Drug Development degree programs within the Regulatory Science program at USC Mann and directs the Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics program.

Dr. Asatryan earned her PhD in Biochemistry from the Institute of Molecular Biology, National Academy of Sciences of Armenia and completed a Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research Design & Management in Regulatory Science at USC.

Dr. Asatryan's research focuses on understanding mechanisms of neuro-immune communication and their role in the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and other neurological disorders as well as alcohol liver disease. Her work identifies novel targets for therapeutic strategies to prevent or treat AUD-related inflammation and neuroinflammation, with particular emphasis on ligand-gated ion channels implicated in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Recent developments in her research explore the gut-immune-brain axis communication, focusing on the role of microbiome in AUD and alcoholic liver disease.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on the role of purinergic receptors, particularly P2X4 and P2X7 receptors, in alcohol-related disorders. Research trends show increasing attention to the gut microbiome's influence on alcohol consumption behavior and neuroinflammation, with exploration of therapeutic interventions like sodium butyrate and avermectins for treating AUD.

Dr. Asatryan has received several prestigious awards and grants for her research:

• KO1 Career Development Grant from National Institutes of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
• Rose Hills Foundation Innovator Grant for "Alcohol and Host Microbiome Interactions in Alcohol Consumption Behavior" (2019-2021)
• Zumberge Fund Individual Grant for "The Role of P2X7 Receptors in Alcohol-induced Neuroinflammation and Degeneration" (2014-2015)
• National Institutes of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse KO1 Grant for "Sites of Ethanol Action in Purinergic P2X4 Receptors" (2008-2013)

Dr. Asatryan serves as Principal Investigator on multiple research projects investigating the relationship between gut microbiome and neurological conditions including AUD, targeting purinergic P2X7 receptors for conferring inflammation in brain and liver induced by chronic alcohol exposure, and screening drug candidates for activities in brain receptors to treat mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's Disease. Her collaborative research with Dr. Daryl Davies has been particularly productive in advancing our understanding of alcohol use disorders.

Her laboratory employs various murine models including Drinking in the Dark and Two-bottle Choice paradigms to assess preclinical efficacy of lead anti-alcohol compounds. Current research directions include exploring the therapeutic potential of sodium butyrate and other compounds targeting the gut-brain axis in alcohol use disorders.