Administrative Accomplishments
I have been a member of the DMDD Executive Committee since July 1st, 2020 where I have been serving in the Secretary/Treasurer positions. In addition to my primary responsibilities (preparing the division budget, EC meeting minutes and division biannual reports to council) I have been very involved in other division activities including establishment of the Current Advances in Drug Metabolism virtual webinar series (a new division program aimed at highlighting the research accomplishments of junior researchers), abstract, award and symposium reviews, symposium organization and, organization of Division trainee-focused events including the annual poster competition at EB2021 and a Meet the Experts Lunch at EB 2022. External to ASPET I have had long term administrative involvement in the Canadian Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (CSPT). In 2017 I served as conference Chair of the CSPT Annual scientific meeting in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where I provided leadership and contributed to the organization of a successful and profitable meeting. This was followed by service on the Conference Organizing Committee in 2018 for a joint scientific conference with the Canadian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Toronto, Ontario. In 2017 I was elected as President Elect of the CSPT. My most important accomplishment during my 2-year term as President Elect was to establish the CSPT as an international ASPET Chapter in 2018. During this time, I also Chaired the CSPT Awards Committee and Re-established our Society Newsletter. My primary accomplishments as CSPT President (2019-21) relate to my leadership on new programing initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic. This included two successful virtual conferences in 2020 and 21, hiring a full time post-doctoral fellow to develop COVID-19 pharmacology educational resources for the society and establishment of a virtual pharmacology webinar series. I have led Canadian Government funding applications to secured $70,000 in salary support for the CSPT post-doctoral fellow from 2020-22. Since 2017 I have secured approximately $37,000 in fundraising and sponsorships for the society.
Research Areas
Drug metabolism and Disposition. I have had a long-standing interest in the factors that contribute to pharmacokinetic variability and responses to drug therapy. My most significant contributions relate to the discovery of how central nervous system inflammation depresses drug efflux transport at the blood-brain barrier and drug metabolism and transport in the liver in rodent models. Through collaborations with clinical faculty I have completed translational human studies to assess how acute brain injury and surgical inflammation affects blood brain barrier transport of morphine and its metabolites. Currently, I am the Halifax Site Investigator in the Canadian Pharmacogenomics network of Drug Safety and Effectiveness. The collaborative work focuses on developing of a Genomic and Outcomes Databank for Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacogenomic Implementation Studies in Pediatric Oncology.
Drug development for multidrug resistant cancers. I have discovered that a group of molecules called jadomycins produced Streptomyces venezuelae are effective cytotoxic agents in taxane and anthracycline-resistant breast cancer cells. We are utilizing cell culture and mouse models to understand the pharmacological mechanisms, pharmacokinetics and anti-tumoral effects of jadomycins. By completing this research, I aim to understand if jadomycins could be used to treat metastatic breast cancer that has become resistant to currently available
ASPET Activities
- ASPET Nominations Committee, 2022
- Drug Metabolism and Disposition Editorial Board member (2022-)
- DMDD Symposium Co-Chair, COVID-19 Vaccines and the Virus: Impact on Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, ASPET/EB, Philadelphia, PA, 2022
- DMDD Meet the Experts Lunch, Chair ASPET/EB, Philadelphia, PA, 2022
- DMDD Abstract Reviewer, ASPET/EB, Philadelphia, PA, 2022
- DMDD Symposium Submission Reviewer, ASPET/EB, Philadelphia, PA, 2022
- DMDD Poster Competition Judge, ASPET/EB, Philadelphia, PA, 2022
- DMDD Poster Competition Lead Judge/Coordinator, ASPET/EB Virtual Meeting 2021
- DMDD Symposium Submission Reviewer, ASPET/EB Virtual Meeting 2021
- DMDD Abstract Reviewer, ASPET/EB Virtual Meeting, 2021
- DMDD Gillette Drug Metabolism and Disposition Best Paper Awards Reviewer, 2020-21
- DMDD Okita Junior Investigator Award Reviewer, 2020
- DMDD Secretary/Treasurer Elect (2020-21), Secretary/Treasurer (2021-22) and Past Secretary/Treasurer (2022-23)
- ASPET Chapter (Canadian Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics) President (2019-2021)
- Division of Drug Metabolism and Disposition (Primary Division), Member (1999)
- Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Ad hoc Reviewer
- Drug Metabolism and Disposition, Ad hoc Reviewer
- Pharmacology Research and Perspectives, Ad hoc Reviewer
- Attended Annual ASPET/EB Meeting (2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022)
Other Society Memberships/Activities
- Canadian Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (CSPT)
- Chair, Nominations Committee (2021-23)
- Past President (2021-23)
- Member (COVID-19 Pharmacology Programming Committee)
- President, (2019-2021)
- Member, CSPT Conference Organizing Committee (2018)
- Editor, Society Newsletter (2018 - 2021)
- Chair, ASPET Liaison Committee (2018 -)
- President Elect (2017-2019)
- Chair, Awards Committee (2017-2018)
- Chair, CSPT Conference Organizing Committee (2017)
- Symposium Chair, Trainee Rapid Fire Presentations, CSPT Conference (2017)
- Symposium Chair, Trainee Research and Career Networking, CSPT Conference (2017)
- Member, CSPT Awards Committee (2014-2017)
- Symposium Chair, Obesity in Canada: Health Impact, mechanisms and novel therapeutic opportunities (2010)
- Symposium Organization, Vaccine Development (2010)
- Member, Scientific Program Committee (2009-2011)
- Member, Awards Committee (2008-2009)
- Pharmacological Society of Canada
- Member, Pharmacological Society of Canada/Canadian Society of Clinical Pharmacology Merger Committee (2007-2008)
- Member, Awards Committee (2006-2008)