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| AREAS OF RESEARCH EMPHASIS
The Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry is internationally recognized for the strength of its research programs. While individual faculty are engaged in a variety of research activities, four major research areas can be identified for the department as a whole. These are bioanalysis, cellular and molecular pharmaceutics, macromolecular pharmaceutics, and physical pharmacy. Additionally, many of the department faculty are involved in interdisciplinary research. The department enjoys close collaborative arrangements with members of other departments, including medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, pharmacy practice, chemistry, chemical engineering, and molecular biosciences. Graduate student participation in these interdisciplinary programs is encouraged. Bioanalysis is concerned with the development of highly sensitive analytical methods for the quantitation of target molecules in complex biological systems. Amines, amino acids, peptides, proteins and nucleic acids are of particular interest. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), LC/MS/MS, capillary electrophoresis (CE), capillary electrochromatography (CEC) and pressure assisted capillary liquid chromatography (PEC) separation units utilizing UV, fluorescence, laser-induced fluorescence, electrochemical, and mass spectrometry detectors are currently available. In addition, various reagents, sample preparation media, and chromatographic supports for chiral, immunochemical and electrochromatography are being developed. Professors Lunte, Middaugh, Stobaugh, and Wilson have research projects in this area. Cellular and Molecular Pharmaceutics research is directed towards cell culture models of various biological barriers that are used to study drug transport and metabolism in vitro and to test drug delivery strategies. Models for the blood-brain barrier, the placenta, and for the intestinal and pulmonary mucosa are among those currently being investigated. Professors Audus, Borchardt, Middaugh, and Topp have research projects in this area. Macromolecular Pharmaceutics addresses issues related to the formulation of proteins, peptides, nucleic acids and other macromolecules arising from modern molecular biology. Since changing protein conformation can affect activity, both chemical and physical pathways of degradation are of interest. Professors Borchardt, Middaugh, Schöneich, Stella, Topp, and Wilson have research projects in this area. Physical Pharmacy is a broad research area. Programs in this area include bioavailability studies to assess the amount of a drug reaching the general circulation, the chemical modification of drugs to enhance bioavailability, dosage form design and evaluation, thermodynamic properties of drugs and studies of drug stability. Professors Borchardt, Middaugh, Stella, Rytting and Topp have projects in this area.
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