Drug Discovery Drug Discovery is an emerging pharmacological science that seeks to identify novel small molecule probes and to understand at a molecular level how compounds affect macromolecular process. Cell-based, in vitro mix-and-read, and whole organism assays suitable for rapid or high throughput analysis are being designed and implemented by members of the Molecular Pharmacology Program. Current molecular targets include Gprotein coupled receptors, vanilloid receptors, cathepsins, apoptosis-inducing proteins, ion channels, steroid receptors, orphan nuclear receptors, kinases, phosphatases, DNA repair enzymes, and DNA polymerases. Chemical libraries and automated screening instrumentation are emphasized, which permit rapid interrogation of optimized assays. Computational approaches and high content cell screening methodologies are employed to facilitate the identification of new chemical probes. Faculty Bayir, Hülya Critical Care Medicine, Environmental and Occupational Health UPMC Chair in Critical Care Pediatric ResearchDr. Hülya Bayir’s research focuses on the primary themes of mitochondrial injury and oxidative signaling. She has organized a multidisciplinary team of investigators to study novel approaches to the treatment of mitochondrial dysfunction by targeting... bayihx@upmc.edu 412-692-5164 Birder, Lori Professor, Medicine Study a number of ion channel/receptor targets within the bladder epithelium and the possible role of the urothelium in urinary bladder function. lbirder@pitt.edu 412-383-7368 Chan, Stephen Professor of MedicineWe are a basic science and translational research group studying the molecular mechanisms of pulmonary vascular disease and pulmonary hypertension (PH) – an example of an enigmatic disease where reductionistic studies have primarily focused on end-st... chansy@pitt.edu or chansy@upmc.edu 412-383-6990 Chen, Yuanyuan Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology cheny1@pitt.edu 412-624-5444 Freeman, Bruce Irwin Fridovich Distinguished Professor and ChairCell Signaling; Redox Reactions freerad@pitt.edu 412-648-9319 Jiang, Yu ProfessorSignaling mechanisms for cell growth control; Regulation of protein kinases and phosphatases yuj5@pitt.edu 412-648-3390 Pagano, Patrick ProfessorDevelopment of peptic, viral and small molecular inhibitors of NADPH oxidases and reactive species to assess NOX involvement in cardiovascular disease as well as to devise new therapies pagano@pitt.edu 412-383-6505 Palladino, Michael Professor & Vice Chair for Faculty AffairsCombined molecular and genetic approaches to identify key proteins required for neural maintenance with age and understand the role of these gene products in metabolic disease conditions mjp44@pitt.edu 412-383-5900 Schopfer, Francisco Associate Professor & Vice Chair for Biotechnology Development fjs2@pitt.edu 412-648-0193 Singh, Shivendra Professor and UPMC Chair in Cancer Prevention ResearchThe Singh laboratory focuses on preclinical and clinical investigations of novel agents derived from dietary (eg, broccoli) and medicinal plants (eg, Withania somnifera) for chemoprevention of cancers. svs2@pitt.edu 412-623-3262 Smithgall, Thomas William S. McEllroy Professor of Biochemistry and Chair, Microbiology and Molecular GeneticsProtein-tyrosine kinase structure, function, and drug discovery in cancer and infectious diseases. tsmithga@pitt.edu 412-648-8106 Van Houten, Ben ProfessorMitochondrial dysfunction in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases , structure function of DNA repair enzymes/proteins. vanhoutenb@upmc.edu 412-623-7762 Wang, Man-Tzu Assistant Professor wangmt@pitt.edu; wangm7@upmc.edu 412-623-2285 Wang, Qiming Jane ProfessorTargeting protein kinase D by small molecular inhibitors for cancer therapy; signaling mechanisms of protein kinase D in cancer. qjw1@pitt.edu 412-383-7754 Wang, Zhou Professor and UPMC Chair in Urological ResearchMechanism of androgen receptor intracellular trafficking in prostate cancer cells. Roles of androgen-response genes in prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. wangz2@upmc.edu 412-623-3903 Wipf, Peter University Professor of Chemistry Medicinal chemistry and drug design. Total synthesis of natural products. pwipf@pitt.edu 412-624-8606 Zhang, Cheng Associate ProfessorStructural basis for G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling; development of GPCR antibodies through protein engineering. chengzh@pitt.edu 412-383-8044 Zhang, Lin ProfessorGenetic basis of differential responses to anticancer drugs and mechanisms of drug-induced apoptosis. zhanglx@upmc.edu 412-623-1009