Assistant Professor
Branch Chief, Division of Environmental Chemistry
Arkansas Department of Health
Phone: 501-681-2826
Fax: 501-686-8970
Email: jhmoran@uams.edu
Education
Ph.D. – University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 2001
Research Interests
My passion for applying new analytical techniques to enhance our knowledge of toxicological mechanisms was evident early in my career. I began my toxicological training as an undergraduate in 1994 and published my first article in 1996, which reported a new analytical technique to detect cell death. Since this date, my career has focused on the detection and mechanisms of environmental toxicants, endogenous molecules and xenobiotics. After obtaining my Ph.D. in 2001, I learned business management skills as a toxicological consultant, but I quickly realized my scientific passion was to promote public health by applying hypothesis-driven research. I am now very fortunate to have had this opportunity for nearly 10 years as the Branch Chief for Environmental Chemistry at the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH).
Recent Research Support
Ongoing Research Support
- 2U90TP616974-11 CDC (Co-I) (08/01/11 – 08/31/17)
“Public Health Emergency Preparedness Cooperative Agreement” - 1U18FD005509-01 USFDA (Co-I) (09/01/15 – 08/31/20)
“FDA FERN Cooperative Agreement Program” - R01 DA039143 NIH/NIDA (Co-I) (04/01/16 – 03/31/21)
“Synthetic cannabinoid toxicity: role of biotransformation”
Recently Completed Research Support
- FDA RFA-FD-10-003 (PI) (07/01/11 – 08/31/15)
“Expansion and Enhancement of the Arkansas FERN Chemistry Laboratory” - NIH/NCBI R01 DK079008 (PI) (07/01/09 – 07/31/14)
“Oxygen/nitrogen Species in Acetaminophen Toxicity” - FDA 1 U18FD003639-01 (07/01/09 – 07/01/11)
“Enhancing Analytical Capacity for Food Surveillance and Emergency Response” - Association of Public Health Laboratories/CDC Training Fellowship (8/01/09 – 07/31/10)
“Developing analytical capacity for smoking biomonitoring programs” - Association of Public Health Laboratories/CDC Training Fellowship (8/01/07 – 07/31/09)
“Warfarin Research Support” - Association of Public Health Laboratories/CDC Training Fellowship (8/01/06 – 07/31/07)
“Developing analytical capacity for assessing human exposures to rodenticides”
Publications
- Seely KA, Lapoint J, Moran JH, Fattore L. Spice drugs are more than harmless herbal blends: A review of the pharmacology and toxicology for synthetic cannabinoids. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 39(2): 234-43, 2012 (PMID: 22561602).
- Brents LK, Gallus-Zawada A, Radominska-Pandya A, et al. Monohydroxylated metabolites of the K2 synthetic cannabinoid JWH-073 retain intermediate to high cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) affinity and exhibit neutral antagonist to partial agonist activity. Biochem Pharmacol. 83(7), 952-961, 2012 (PMID: 22266354).
- Seely KA, Brents LK, Radominska-Pandya A, et al. A major glucuronidated metabolite of JWH-018 is a neural antagonist at CB1 receptors. Chem Res Toxicol. 49(8), 825-827, 2012 (PMID: 22404317).
- Moran CL, Le VH, Chimalakonda KC, Smedley AL, Lackey FD, Owen SN, Kennedy PD, Endres GW, Ciske FL, Kramer JB, Kornilov AM, Bratton LD, Dobrowolski PJ, Wessinger WD, Fantegrossi WE, Prather PL, James LP, Radominska-Pandya A, Moran JH. Quantitative measurement of JWH-018 and JWH-073 metabolites excreted in human urine. Anal Chem. 83(11), 4228-36, 2011 (PMID: 21506519).
- Brents, L.K., Reichard, E.E., Zimmerman, S.M., Moran, J.H., Fantegrossi, W.E. & Prather, P.L. Phase I Hydroxylated Metabolites of the K2 Synthetic Cannabinoid JWH-018 Retain In Vitro and In Vivo Cannabinoid 1 Receptor Affinity and Activity. PLoS One. 6(7), e21917, 2011 (PMID: 21755008).
- Moran, J.H. Smart resource allocation needed to study “legal highs. Nat Med. 17(11), 1339, 2011 (PMID: 22064403).
- Chimalakonda, K.C., Bratton, S.M., Le, V.H., Yiew, K.H., Dineva, A., Moran, C.L., James, L.P., Moran, J.H. & Radominska-Pandya, A. Conjugation of Synthetic Cannabinoids JWH-018 and JWH-073, Metabolites by Human UDP-Glucuronosyltransferases. Drug Metab Dispos. 39(10), 1967-76, 2011 (PMID: 21746969).
- Chimalakonda, K.C., Moran, C.L., Kennedy, P.D., Endres, G.W., Uzieblo, A., Dobrowolski, P.J., Fifer, E.K., Lapoint, J., Nelson, L.S., Hoffman, R.S., James, L.P., Radominska-Pandya, A. & Moran, J.H. (2011) Solid-phase extraction and quantitative measurement of omega and omega-1 metabolites of JWH-018 and JWH-073 in human urine. Anal Chem. 83(16), 6381-8, 2011 (PMID: 21740038).
- Lapoint, J., James, L.P., Moran, C.L., Nelson, L.S., Hoffman, R.S. & Moran, J.H. Severe toxicity following synthetic cannabinoid ingestion. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 49(8), 760-4, 2011 (PMID: 21970775).
- Seely, K.A., Prather, P.L., James, L.P., Moran, J.H. Marijuana-based drugs: Innovative therapeutics or designer drugs of abuse? Mol Interv. 11(1), 36-51, 2011 (PMID: 21441120).