جست‌وجوی استاد و پژوهشگر

Liana Asatryanمشاهده پروفایل

استادیار

• Alcohol Use Disorder
• Neuroscience
• Neuroimmunology
• +۸ مورد دیگر

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.

• Pharmacology
• Neuropharmacology
• Ion Channel Research
• +۴ مورد دیگر

Uffe Kristiansen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. His research focuses on ionotropic receptors for inhibitory amino acids, particularly GABA and glycine receptors, with emphasis on their relation to epilepsy. Dr. Kristiansen's primary research areas include: Pharmacodynamics of fast, desensitizing receptors Kinetics of ligand-receptor interaction at $$\text{GABA}_{\text{A}}$$ receptors Inhibitory neurotransmission mechanisms Receptor selectivity through kinetic principles His laboratory employs a combination of patch-clamp electrophysiology with variable rates of ligand application, different methods of response measurements, and kinetic computer modeling to optimize experimental design and quantification methods. This approach increases information yield and validity of conclusions in pharmacological studies. A notable concept developed by his team is 'receptor selectivity by kinetics,' which leverages the inherent differences in time-concentration profiles of neurotransmitters at synaptic versus extrasynaptic receptors to improve drug selectivity. Dr. Kristiansen's research publications span pharmacology, neuroscience, and computational modeling, with recent work focusing on $$\text{GABA}_{\text{A}}$$ receptor antagonists, ion channel kinetics, and novel approaches to studying inhibitory neurotransmission. His work has implications for developing more selective treatments for neurological disorders, particularly epilepsy. His scientific contributions include: Development of kinetic models for receptor interactions Studies on receptor selectivity mechanisms Investigations of $$\text{GABA}_{\text{A}}$$ receptor pharmacology Research on ion channel function in neurological disorders Dr. Kristiansen teaches courses in general physiology, neurophysiology and pharmacology, pharmacodynamics, and ion channel kinetics, contributing to the education of future pharmacologists and neuroscientists.

• Molecular Pharmacology
• Obesity Research
• Appetite Regulation
• +۳ مورد دیگر

Thue W. Schwartz is a Professor at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, where he leads the Schwartz Group at the Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR). His research focuses on appetite regulation and the development of obesity drugs, with particular interest in how hunger and satiety signals are transmitted from the stomach to the brain. Professor Schwartz's primary research areas include molecular pharmacology, obesity research, appetite regulation, GPCR signaling, drug development for metabolic disorders, and neuroendocrinology. His work bridges basic science with clinical applications, aiming to develop novel therapeutic approaches for metabolic diseases. He investigates the molecular mechanisms of receptor signaling, neural circuits involved in appetite control, and translational approaches to obesity treatment, with significant focus on targeting receptors like FFA4 and GLP-1 for therapeutic interventions. Professor Schwartz is the co-founder of 7TM Pharma, where he also serves as research director. The company focuses on the discovery and development of new obesity drugs, with the first candidates - stemming from research at the University of Copenhagen - currently being tested. His work demonstrates strong industry-academia collaboration aimed at translating basic research findings into clinical applications. His research has garnered significant attention across social media platforms and news outlets, with multiple publications being widely discussed in scientific communities.

• Protein Structure
• Nuclear Receptor Signaling
• Drug Discovery
• +۷ مورد دیگر

Patrick Griffin is a Professor and Scientific Director at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) Scripps Florida, where he serves in the Department of Molecular Therapeutics. With over 25 years of experience in drug discovery and development, Dr. Griffin has established himself as a leading researcher in protein structure and nuclear receptor signaling. His career spans both industry and academia, with significant contributions to pharmaceutical development including key work on Januvia (a DPP4 inhibitor now in clinical use). Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Virginia under Professor Donald F. Hunt Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Leroy Hood at Caltech Former Chief Science Officer at ExSAR Corporation Former Senior Director of Chemistry at Merck Research Laboratories Dr. Griffin's research program focuses on understanding nuclear receptor (NR) signaling using structural, chemical and biological approaches. His laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding the mechanism of ligand activation of NRs such as PPARs, RORs, REV-ERBs, LRH1, VDR, ER, GR, and PR. Through the use of mutagenesis, HDX-MS, crystallography, proteomics and genomics, his team studies the structure-function relationships of nuclear receptors, enzymes, and G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). A major emphasis of his chemical biology program is developing functionally selective and promoter-specific modulators targeting diseases such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, obesity, and diabetes. Dr. Griffin's lab is particularly well-known for developing and applying biophysical methods including HDX and XL-MS platforms for analyzing protein plasticity, with a focus on nuclear receptors, enzymes, and GPCRs. Dr. Griffin's recent publications (2022-2025) demonstrate continued innovation in structural proteomics, nuclear receptor biology, and therapeutic development. His work shows a clear trajectory from fundamental protein structure research toward translational applications, particularly in metabolic disorders, cancer, and neurological conditions. A significant theme across his recent work is the development of non-muscle myosin II inhibitors with therapeutic potential, reflecting his long-standing interest in protein structure-function relationships and their therapeutic modulation. His research continues to bridge structural biology, chemical biology, and drug discovery, with particular emphasis on nuclear receptor signaling pathways and their role in metabolic regulation. Dr. Griffin's research impact is evidenced by his publication record of over 240 peer-reviewed manuscripts, an h-index of 83 (58 since 2016), and an i10-index of 223 according to Google Scholar. Dr. Griffin has served as PI, Co-PI, and co-investigator on numerous NIH-funded grants. Notable funding includes leadership of "The Comprehensive Center for Chemical Probe Discovery and Optimization at Scripps," a 6-year U54 MLPCN Roadmap initiative. He co-founded Ember, a biotech company funded by Third Rock Ventures, based on work from a RC4 collaboration with Bruce Spiegelman at Dana Faber. Dr. Griffin has maintained a 13-year collaboration with Eli Lilly and serves as PI on grants with private biotechs including Synkine Therapeutics. As Co-PI on a NIH Blueprint UH3 grant, he co-founded Myosin Therapeutics, whose clinical candidate emerged from this NIH-funded program. Dr. Griffin leads a research program that integrates structural biology, chemical biology, and drug discovery approaches. His laboratory has developed advanced HDX-MS and XL-MS platforms for protein structure analysis. The team's work spans from fundamental protein structure studies to translational drug discovery, with particular expertise in nuclear receptor biology. His lab has made significant contributions to understanding nuclear receptor signaling mechanisms and developing novel therapeutic approaches targeting these pathways.