Irina Teslenko is the Molecular Pharmacology Highlighted Trainee Author for the November 2022 issue. Currently, Dr. Teslenko is working as a Translation DMPK Scientist at Janssen Research & Development. The highlighted manuscript listed below is from her dissertation work at Washington State University, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences under the mentorship of Dr. Philip Lazarus. The Molecular Pharmacology article that earned her honor of being selected as Highlighted Trainee Author is titled: “Inhibition of the Aromatase Enzyme by Exemestane Cysteine Conjugates” and is available at: https://doi.org/10.1124/molpharm.122.000545.

Dr. Teslenko’s research was focused on characterizing the glutathionylation pathway of the important aromatase inhibitor, exemestane (EXE), which is used primarily as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of ER+ breast cancer. She characterized the glutathione-S-transferase enzymes involved in this process, examined the effect of major genetic variants in these enzymes on EXE metabolism ex vivo and in vivo, and showed that the abundant end-product of this conjugation reaction in the plasma of EXE-treated patients, the EXE-cysteine conjugate, is also active against the aromatase enzyme.

The anticipated impact of her work is a comprehensive analysis of a metabolic pathway for an important breast cancer agent that will further help develop precision medicine approaches to the treatment of breast cancer.

Outside of work, Irina’s interests include poetry, singing, and theater. She also likes spending time with family, friends, and her dog, Watson.