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Drug Discovery & Development (DDD) Faculty

  • Seena Ajit, PhD

    Professor
    Department: Pharmacology & Physiology
    Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms of neuropathic and inflammatory pain, epigenetic regulation, microRNA expression and regulation, biomarkers

  • Jacqueline Barker, PhD

    Associate Professor
    Department: Pharmacology & Physiology
    Research Interests: Addiction, learning and memory, behavioral neuroscience, habits, compulsivity, sex differences, drug and alcohol exposure, substance and alcohol use disorders

  • James Barrett, PhD

    Emeritus Professor
    Department: Neurology
    Research Interests: Pain and its co-morbidities, behavioral pharmacology, substance abuse disorders, animal models and drug discovery for novel pain therapeutics.

  • Alessandro Fatatis, MD, PhD

    Professor
    Department: Pharmacology & Physiology
    Research Interests: Cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating metastatic potential of solid tumors, studies in vitro and in animal models of neoplastic disease

  • Peter Gaskill, PhD

    Associate Professor
    Department: Pharmacology & Physiology
    Research Interests: HIV, drug abuse, neuroimmunity, neurotransmission, macrophage immunology, dopamine, serotonin, catecholamines

  • Edward Hartsough, PhD

    Associate Professor
    Department: Pharmacology & Physiology
    Research Interests: Mechanisms contributing to metastatic progression and susceptibility of cancers to targeted inhibitors

  • Zachary Klase, PhD

    Associate Professor
    Department: Pharmacology & Physiology
    Research Interests: Molecular neuropathogenesis of HIV-1, epigenetic control of transcription and microRNA involvement in viral diseases

  • Joanne Mathiasen, PhD

    Professor of Pharmacology & Physiology; Co-director, Drug Discovery & Development Program
    Department: Pharmacology & Physiology
    Research Interests: CNS drug discovery, behavioral pharmacology, neuropharmacology, pain and cognition

  • Paul McGonigle, PhD

    Professor; Co-director, Interdisciplinary & Career-Oriented Programs; Director, Drug Discovery & Development Program
    Department: Pharmacology & Physiology
    Research Interests: CNS drug discovery, receptor pharmacology, behavioral pharmacology, neuropharmacology

  • AndrĂ©ia C.K. Mortensen, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Department: Pharmacology & Physiology
    Research Interests: Excitatory amino acid transporters, astrocytes, neurological disorders, excitotoxicity, allosteric modulation, stroke, epilepsy, neuropathic pain

  • Ole Mortensen, PhD

    Associate Professor; Director, Pharmacology & Physiology Graduate Program
    Department: Pharmacology & Physiology
    Research Interests: Neurotransmitter transporters, drug addiction and affective disorders

  • Brian Murphy, PhD

    Professor
    Department: Pharmacology & Physiology
    Research Interests: Early-stage drug discovery, obesity, diabetes, lung and liver fibrosis, second messenger regulation of GPCRs, receptor binding kinetics

 
Secondary Drug Discovery & Development Faculty
 

Wei Du, MD, MS

Wei Du, MD, MS

Affiliation: Drexel University College of Medicine
Occupation: Professor and Academic Chair
Interests: Clinical psychiatry
  wd26@drexel.edu


Sandhya Kortagere, PhD

Sandhya Kortagere, PhD

Affiliation: Drexel University College of Medicine
Occupation: Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Interests: Molecular pharmacology and drug discovery
  sk673@drexel.edu


 
Prominent External Drug Discovery & Development Faculty
 

Robert Babilon, PhD

Robert Babilon, PhD

Affiliation: Prosoft Clinical
Occupation: President
Background: DuPont, Aventis, Adolor
Interests: Regulatory affairs and quality assurance


Paul Calvo, PhD, JD

Paul Calvo, PhD, JD

Affiliation: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox
Occupation: Director, Biotechnology & Chemical Practice Group
Background: Univ. of Pennsylvania, NIH
Interests: Large and small molecule intellectual property law


Gillian Cannon, PhD

Gillian Cannon, PhD

Affiliation: Castle Biotech
Occupation: President
Backgound: Otsuka, Merck, UCB North America
Interests: Commercial and marketing


Patrick Y. Lam, PhD

Patrick Y. Lam, PhD

Affiliation: PA Drug Discovery Institute
Occupation: Associate Professor of Chemistry/Consultant
Background: DuPont Pharma, DuPont-Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Interests: Medicinal chemistry (Chemistry team leader for Eliquis)


Kevin Leary, MD, FACP

Kevin Leary, MD, FACP

Affiliation: Janssen Pharmaceuticals
Occupation: Safety Head, Hematology/Oncology
Background: USUHS, Merck
Interests: Safety pharmacology


Robert Ring, PhD

Robert Ring, PhD

Affiliation: Vencerx Therapeutics
Occupation: CEO
Background: Wyeth Research, Pfizer, Autism Speaks
Interests: Autism spectrum disorders research; mood disorders research; drug discovery and development and neuropeptide research


Sharon Rosenzweig-Lipson, PhD

Sharon Rosenzweig-Lipson, PhD

Affiliation: Agene Bio
Occupation: VP Research & Development
Background: Wyeth Research, Pfizer
Interests: Translational medicine; in vivo models; drug discovery


Bill Rote, PhD

Bill Rote, PhD

Affiliation: Travere Therapeutics
Occupation: Sr. Vice President, Research & Development
Background: Corvas, Amylin, Astra-Zeneca, Ardea Biosciences
Interests: Clinical development and alliance management


David Stone, PhD

David Stone, PhD

Affiliation: Cerevel Therapeutics
Occupation: VP, Head of Genetics & Target Identification
Background: Merck Research Labs, CuraGen Corp.
Interests: Genomics


Jeff Vaught, PhD

Jeff Vaught, PhD

Affiliation: Cephalon
Occupation: Executive VP & CSO (ret.)
Background: McNeil Pharmaceuticals
Interests: CNS and oncology therapeutics


Michael Wood, PhD

Michael Wood, PhD

Affiliation: Circuit Therapeutics
Occupation: Sr. VP Drug Discovery
Background: Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca
Interests: CNS drug discovery and development

 
Participating Drug Discovery & Development Faculty
 

Aparna Chhibber, PhD
Affiliation: Bristol Myers Squibb
Occupation: Sr. Scientist
Background: Roche Sequencing, Merck Research Laboratories
Interests: Pharmacogenetics & translational bioinformatics

Debbie Cooper, PhD
Affiliation: Self-employed
Occupation: Consultant
Backgound: Amgen, Wyeth, Pfizer, Cephalon
Interests: Regulatory affairs, risk management

Michael Derelanko, PhD
Affiliation: Critical Path Services
Occupation: Senior Toxicology Manager
Background: Schering-Plough, Adolor Corp
Interests: Safety and toxicology

Melissa Egbertson, PhD
Affiliation: Self-employed
Occupation: Consultant
Background: Merck, RiboNova
Interests: Medicinal chemistry, HIV, pain

Pamela Hornby, PhD
Affiliation: Janssen Pharmaceuticals
Occupation: Sr. Director & Research Fellow
Background: Centocor
Interests: Neuropharmacology; GI and metabolic disorder research

David Howland, PhD
Affiliation: Cure Huntington's Disease Foundation
Occupation: Director, In Vivo Biology
Background: Cephalon, Wyeth
Interests: Model systems and molecular genetics

William Jacobsen, PhD
Affiliation: Harmony Biosciences
Occupation: Sr. Director, Clinical Development
Background: Wyeth Research, Pfizer, Takeda
Interests: Clinical research & development

Leslie Killion, MD
Affiliation: Janssen Pharmaceuticals
Occupation: Sr. Director, Neuroscience Portfolio
Background: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Wyeth, Cephalon
Interests: Global pharmacovigilance

Michele Kutzler, PhD
Affiliation: Drexel University College of Medicine
Occupation: Associate Professor of Medicine
Interests: Vaccines and vaccine development

Randall Mack, PhD
Affiliation: Birch Partners Consulting
Occupation: Consultant
Background: Abbott Labs, Auxilium, Adolor
Interests: Program and project management

Geet Mankad, MS, MBA, RAC
Affiliation: Merck & Company
Occupation: Sr. Director, Global Regulatory Affairs
Background: GSK
Interests: Oncology; infectious disease regulatory affairs

Richard Mangano, PhD
Affiliation: Drexel University College of Medicine
Occupation: Director, Clinical Research Programs (ret.)
Background: Lederle Laboratories, Wyeth Research, Adolor, Relmada Therapeutics
Interests: Clinical trials; drug discovery and development

Michael J. Marino, PhD
Affiliation: Merck Research Laboratories
Occupation: Director, Neuroscience
Background: Cephalon
Interests: Psychiatric disorders; CNS drug discovery

Kamran Mohiuddin, MD, MBA
Affiliation: Bristol Myers Squibb
Occupation: Clinical Trials Physician
Background: Drexel University, Einstein Health Network
Interests: Clinical research and development

Brian Murphy, PhD
Affiliation: Bristol-Myers Squibb
Occupation: Scientific Director Cardiovascular & Fibrotic Diseases Drug Discovery
Background: Neurocrine Biosciences
Interests: Lead discovery, GPCRs

Maura Murphy, PhD
Affiliation: Societal CDMO
Occupation: Director, Product Development
Background: Vertex, Genzyme
Interests: Formulation research and development

Jeffrey Paul, PhD
Affiliation: JPharm Consulting
Occupation: Principal
Background: Wyeth, Pfizer, Astellas Pharma
Interests: Clinical pharmacology

MaryAnn Pelleymounter, PhD
Affiliation: NINDS
Occupation: Scientific Project Manager
Background: Amgen, Neurocrine Biosciences, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Interests: Drug discovery, obesity, translational research

Bonnie Robeson, PhD
Affiliation: Johns Hopkins Univ Carey Business School
Occupation: Lecturer, Consultant
Background: Starks, SPECS & bioSPECS, Spectrum Bioscciences
Interests: Operations and compound management

Joseph Salvino, PhD
Affiliation: Wistar Institute
Occupation: Professor & Scientific Director of Molecular Screening
Background: Sterling, RPR, Adolor, Cephalon
Interests: Medicinal chemistry, drug screening

James Samanen, PhD
Affiliation: James Samanen Consulting LLC
Occupation: Consultant
Background: Beckman Instruments, GSK
Interests: Drug discovery and development

Fei Shen, PhD
Affiliation: Janssen Pharmaceuticals
Occupation: Compound Development Team Leader
Background: University of Pennsylvania
Interests: Oncology drug discovery and development

Vedrana Susilic, PhD
Affiliation: Janssen Pharmaceuticals
Occupation: Sr. Director, Compound Develop Team Leader (ret.)
Background: Wyeth Research, OSI Pharma, Centocor
Interests: Drug development strategy and implementation

Alex Tamburino, PhD
Affiliation: Merck Research Labs
Occupation: Assoc Principal Scientist
Background: Roche Molecular Systems
Interests: Genome and biomarker sciences

Mehran Yazdanian, PhD
Affiliation: Teva Pharmaceuticals
Occupation: VP Specialty R&D Operations
Background: Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cephalon
Interests: Generics, biosimilars and formulation science