Recent publications

• The effects of low-dose ketamine and (2R,6R)-Hydroxynorketamine on affective behaviors associated with protracted oxycodone withdrawal October 4, 2025
  CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate the therapeutic potential of (2R,6R)-HNK and ketamine in alleviating affective symptoms of oxycodone withdrawal.
  Michael J Lehane
• Steroid hormone regulation of immunometabolism and inflammation October 3, 2025
  The metabolism of immune cells adapts to support the energy demands for their activation, differentiation, and effector functions through a process known as metabolic reprogramming. This metabolic plasticity is influenced by both extrinsic and intrinsic factors, including steroid hormones such as glucocorticoids, androgens, progestogens, and estrogens. These critical mediators modulate immune function and inflammatory responses […]
  Ley Cody Smith
• Multi-omics analysis reveals important role for microbial-derived metabolites from <em>Botryllus schlosseri</em> in metal interactions September 15, 2025
  Marine microbial communities govern many of the biological and chemical processes in the ocean, including element cycles, ecosystem health, and disease. Marine organisms are surrounded by microbes, with complex molecular interactions occurring between bacterial symbionts, eukaryotic hosts, and their pathogens or prey. Trace metals in the ocean can be either beneficial or detrimental to marine […]
  Dulce G Guillén Matus
• Physiological Considerations and Delivery Strategies for Targeting Tumors Through Intraperitoneal Delivery August 25, 2025
  The peritoneal cavity presents both unique challenges and promising opportunities for targeted therapy in malignancies like ovarian, gastric, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers. Intraperitoneal drug delivery offers significant pharmacokinetic advantages over intravenous administration by achieving high local drug concentrations and tumor-specific delivery potential while minimizing systemic toxicity. Despite these theoretical advantages, the clinical implementation of intraperitoneal […]
  Md Jobair Hossen Jony
• Visualization of CYP3A4 expression at both mRNA and protein levels simultaneously at single cell resolution in various conditions using RNAscope combined with immunofluorescence August 24, 2025
  Precise characterization of drug-metabolizing enzyme expression, such as CYP3A4, at the single-cell resolution is essential for understanding hepatic functional heterogeneity and its impact on xenobiotic clearance. In this study, we employed RNAscope in situ hybridization combined with immunofluorescence to simultaneously visualize CYP3A4 mRNA and protein expression in individual cells under diverse experimental conditions. Using differentiated […]
  Jing Jin
• MRP4 deficiency drives lipid metabolism dysregulation and adipose tissue inflammation through cAMP-CREB-CRTC2 activation August 15, 2025
  Multidrug resistance-associated protein 4 (MRP4/ABCC4), a plasma membrane transporter, plays a critical role in the efflux of endogenous metabolites and xenobiotics. Recent studies have also implicated MRP4 in adipogenesis and fatty acid metabolism. Our previous work using MRP4 knockout (MRP4^(-/-)) mice demonstrated a strong association between MRP4 deficiency and the development of obesity and diabetes. […]
  Ankit P Laddha
• Mass transport analysis of the particle drifting effect in a biphasic diffusion apparatus August 15, 2025
  Formulations containing colloidal particles, such as micelles, nanocrystals, and amorphous drug nanoparticles, are widely used to enhance the oral absorption of poor soluble drugs. The underlying mechanism was proposed to be the particle drifting effect, where the particles effectively reduce the diffusional resistance of the aqueous boundary layer by releasing the free drug near the […]
  Saurav Adhikari
• The particle drifting effect in vivo: impact of dose and animal species August 9, 2025
  The presence of drug nanoparticles is believed to promote oral drug absorption through the particle drifting effect. These particles act as vehicles that penetrate the diffusion boundary layer adjacent to the intestinal membrane, releasing the drug near the mucosal surface, and thereby enhancing drug absorption. Despite extensive in vitro studies demonstrating the potential of this […]
  Madhu Sharma
• Novel oral LAAM immediate-release capsules for treating opioid use disorder August 4, 2025
  Levo-alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM) has a long duration of action offering numerous behavioral and clinical advantages for treating opioid use disorders. In this study, we aim to develop a novel oral immediate-release capsule of LAAM, as an alternative to methadone, the major medication that requires daily visits. LAAM solid dispersion-coated pellets were developed with VIVAPUR® MCC Spheres […]
  Zixuan Zhen
• Intracellular fatty acid levels differentially impact target silencing by FDA-approved siRNA drugs July 29, 2025
  With seven approved and many more anticipated over the next decade, small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics have emerged as an innovative class of nucleic acid-based drugs, offering potential treatments for both rare and common diseases. A substantial portion of the patient population affected by these diseases may also present with obesity and metabolic-associated fatty liver […]
  Sherouk M Tawfik
• Structure and function of reader proteins that recognize methylated RNA residues July 24, 2025
  Recent years have seen significant advances in our understanding of the importance of RNA methylation as an essential mechanism of post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. RNA methylation is a reversible process relying on the traditional classes of epigenetic 'writer', 'eraser', and 'reader' proteins to install, remove, and recognize methylated residues. While general RNA binding proteins […]
  Ruth M Ogboye
• Unraveling the Regulatory Impact of LncRNA Hnf1aos1 on Hepatic Homeostasis in Mice July 23, 2025
  Background/Objectives: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play significant roles in tissue development and disease progression and have emerged as crucial regulators of gene expression. The hepatocyte nuclear factor alpha antisense RNA 1 (HNF1A-AS1) lncRNA is a particularly intriguing regulatory molecule in liver biology that is involved in the regulation of cytochrome P450 enzymes via epigenetic mechanisms. […]
  Beshoy Armanios
• Two distinct protein-protein interfaces drive cooperative binding of the herpes simplex virus protein ICP8 to ssDNA, filament formation and annealing essential for viral replication July 20, 2025
  Herpes simplex virus (HSV) replicates by forming DNA concatemers using a single strand annealing mechanism mediated by the multifunctional HSV protein ICP8. ICP8 binds cooperatively to form nucleoprotein filaments on ssDNA and promotes annealing of complementary single strands. These functions are believed to be mediated by ICP8:ICP8 protein-protein interactions (PPIs) between the flexible C-terminal domain […]
  Katherine A Discipio
• Editorial: Pharmacogenomics for improving drug safety and efficacy in cancer July 16, 2025
  No abstract
  Zhiyao He
• Anti-TIGIT therapies: a review of preclinical and clinical efficacy and mechanisms July 15, 2025
  TIGIT (T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains) has garnered interest as a next-generation anti-cancer immunotherapy target, yet its development has been marred by recent clinical failures. This review explores clinical and preclinical studies on TIGIT, examining antibody therapies, co-targeting with other checkpoint inhibitors, mechanistic signaling models, and the role of the Fc region. […]
  Erin C Sundstrom
• Impact of salt on AAV8 capsid aggregation with single-stranded DNA: insights from coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations June 18, 2025
  This study employed coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CG-MD) simulations to explore the aggregation dynamics of adeno-associated viral (AAV) capsids under various ionic conditions, with a particular focus on the effects of sodium chloride (NaCl) and magnesium chloride (MgCl(2)). Our simulations revealed that AAV8 capsid aggregation was observed at lower concentrations of NaCl (0.05 M) possibly due […]
  Leila Sharifi
• Molecular Dynamics of Lipid Nanoparticles Explored through Solution and Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy and MD Simulations June 11, 2025
  Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are a critical platform for nucleic acid delivery, characterized by their kinetic assemblies and structural complexity. In this study, we integrated solution and solid-state NMR with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to probe lipid dynamics in therapeutic siRNA-encapsulated LNP formulations over a temperature range of 30 °C to -50 °C. Using ¹H-^(13)C cross-polarization […]
  Ryan Schroder
• Mucoadhesive in situ forming Gels: Bridging Formulation design and physiological Realities June 11, 2025
  Thermosensitive mucoadhesive in situ forming gels are sprayable liquids at room temperature, that form hydrogels which can adhere to the mucosal tissue at body temperature. These versatile drug delivery systems can be effectively utilized as localized drug delivery vehicles in the oral cavity. However, conventional methods to assess these products often overlook the influence of […]
  Radha Kulkarni
• The ASO drug olezarsen targets familial chylomicronemia syndrome June 6, 2025
  No abstract
  Jing Jin
• Nanodiscs and solution nuclear magnetic resonance May 27, 2025
  Although membrane proteins constitute a significant portion of the genomes of all species and represent well-validated targets for numerous therapeutic interventions, high-resolution structural knowledge of this class of proteins still falls behind that of their soluble counterparts. Despite serious technological developments in the methods presently available for structural characterizations, as well as decades spent on […]
  Olga Vinogradova