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overview
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I have a strong background in drug characterization, formulation, novel delivery systems, pharmacokinetics and nanotechnology, with a focus on preclinical drug development. I have the specific training, expertise, leadership, and motivation to conduct the proposed project. Currently, I serve as the Founding Director of the Institute of Drug Discovery and Development (iD3) at TSU, which is an NCI-designated subcontractor to provide service for investigators cross the United States. I am the PI and Director of the Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research (CBMHR) supported by NIMHD. I am also co-Director of the Gulf Coast Consortia (GCC) Center for Comprehensive PK/PD and Formulation (CCPF) which is funded by the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas, known as CPRIT. I had four years of industrial experience as Senior Research Scientist working on silica/gold nanoshells for photothermal ablation cancer therapy, which has been used in several cancer clinical trials. Since joining Texas Southern University in 2008, I have successfully completed over 60 research projects, taught over 1000 Pharm.D. students, and personally mentored 10 research scientists/postdoctoral fellows, and over 30 Ph.D., Pharm.D., and undergraduate students, most of whom were underrepresented minorities (URM). I have served as Program Director of the Graduate Program of Pharmaceutical Sciences (GPPS) since 2020, focusing on mentoring the next generation of URM scientists in the field of Pharmaceutics. These trainees were highly sought by employers, such as the FDA, drug companies, hospitals, and academia. As PI or co-Investigator on several NIH- and private agency-funded grants, I laid the groundwork for the proposed research by developing novel analytical methods, advanced drug formulations, and delivery systems and establishing pharmacokinetic and biodistribution profiles. In addition, I successfully administered funded projects (e.g. staffing, research progress, budget, etc.), collaborated with other researchers from institutions across the U.S., generated patents, and produced peer-reviewed publications from these projects (see select list below). These previous experiences made me aware of the importance of frequent communication among project members, and of constructing a realistic program plan, research design, timeline, and budget.
Affiliation
• American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS)
• American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
• American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP)
• Rho Chi Honor Society in Pharmacy (former student advisor)
• Gulf Coast Consortia (GCC)
• American Chemical Society (ACS)
• Phi Lambda Upsilon Honorary Chemical Society
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