Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics

By now you have navigated to the home page for the Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics at MUSC. Your reasons for doing so may vary. If you are a prospective student I hope that you will take the time to review the home pages for each of the investigators whose interest and work make up the focus of drug directed research at MUSC.

This is a period of consummate opportunity for students or postdoctoral fellows who may be interested in entering the department. A significant transformation, both at the infrastructural and faculty levels, has taken place since last year. Renovated laboratory space and facilities have been created on the third floor of the Basic Science Building to house both existing and newly recruited faculty in an environment that will foster research, education and teaching. The department has recently recruited faculty whose interests encompass disease-oriented research that includes drug discovery/ development in cancer; stress response with special emphasis on redox pathways; and G protein receptors in aging and neurological disorders. The Proteomics Center is also housed within the department, and provides an opportunity for students and postdoctoral fellows to gain expertise that will prepare them for careers in academics or the pharmaceutical sector. Faculty members in Pharmacology hold two South Carolina Centers of Excellence Chairs and funded programmatic efforts emphasize our strengths in signaling and drug development.

Interdisciplinary research endeavors with the College of Pharmacy, other departments within the College of Medicine or with the Hollings Cancer Center ensure a broad base of educational possibilities. New faculty recruitment will continue over the next five to six years, resulting in an enthusiastic and progressive environment. The utility of drugs in the management of disease is not likely to diminish. Our department offers a wonderful opportunity to participate in, and contribute to, a greater understanding of drugs and how they work - all in a geographic location conducive to a high quality of life.

In the News

"MUSC Lands $10.5 Million COBRE Grant"
"Pharmacology Majors Among Most Hired Graduates"
"Chairs Created to Create Economy"
"Clyburn Center Opens New Era"
Student Exposure Day Slideshow
"Searching Globe for Healing Plants: MUSC Scientist on Mission to Help Prevent Cancer"
Slideshow of Pharmacology Get-together 8/20
An interview with Dr. Michael Wargovich
"Rooting Out National Treasure"
"New SmartState Endowed Chair Richard Drake, PhD, to Lead MUSC's Proteomics Center"
Breast Cancer Researcher Dr. Carola Neumann wins $1.4 million Department of Defense grant

Recent Publications

Kwon M, Pavlov TS, Nozu K, Rasmussen SA, Ilatovskaya DV, Lerch-Gaggl A, North LM, Kim H, Qian F, Sweeney WE, Avner ED, Blumer JB, Staruschenko A and Park F. “G-protein signaling modulator 1 deficiency acceleratescystic disease in an orthologous mouse model of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease” Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2012 Dec 10

Gan L, Vargas MR, Johnson DA, Johnson, JA. “Astrocyte-Specific Overexpression of Nrf2 Delays Motor Pathology and Synuclein Aggregation throughout the CNS in the Alpha-Synuclein Mutant (A53T) Mouse Model” Neuro, 2012 Dec 5. pii: 32(49):17775–17787.

Oner SS, Maher E, Gabay M, Tall GG, Blumer JB, Lanier SM. “Regulation of the GPR-Gαi Signaling Complex by non-receptor Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors.” J Biol Chem. 2012 Dec 4

Viera L, Radmilovich M, Vargas MR, Dennys CN, Wilson L, Barnes S, Clara Franco M, Beckman JS, Estevez AG. Temporal patterns of tyrosine nitration in embryo heart development. Free Radic Biol Med, 2012 Nov 26. pii: S0891-5849(12)01766-2.