Research interests are focused in the areas of drug transport and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) of drugs. Current research projects:

1. Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) Toxicokinetics and Toxicodynamics. GHB is a drug of abuse, known as a "club drug". We are characterizing the mechanisms underlying the toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics of GHB, and evaluating methods to treat overdoses of GHB. For these studies, we are characterizing transport of GHB by Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters (MCTs), transport proteins that determine the absorption, renal clearance, and distribution of GHB throughout the body, including its distribution to the brain, the site of action. Our goal is to devise treatment strategies to treat overdoses of GHB, in order to save lives.

2. Multidrug Resistance in Breast Cancer. Drug resistance is the main cause for therapeutic failure and death in breast cancer. My laboratory is interested in the discovery of new classes of compounds useful in reversing multidrug resistance (MDR) to cancer chemotherapeutic agents. One of the main causes of MDR in cancers is due to the overexpression of the efflux transport proteins, P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and Breast Cancer Resistance Protein (BCRP). Our current studies are evaluating various dietary components, organic isothiocyanates and flavonoids, for their effects on BCRP-mediated transport and on the efficacy and toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents.

3. Cancer Preventive Agents. We are investigating the effects of dietary flavonoids and organic isothiocyantes on cancer initiation and progression, and the use of these natural products in cancer prevention. We are interested in the changes in gene expression produced by these dietary compounds and how these relate to cancer prevention.

4. Biliary Excretion and Enterohepatic Cycling of Drugs. Our research focuses on the importance of the ABC transport proteins in the biliary excretion of drugs, the in silico and in vitro methods for the prediction of biliary clearance in humans, and modeling enterohepatic cycling of drugs.