Director
Eric C. Peterson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Pharmacology Antibody-Based Medicine
Objectives
The overall goal of our research is to develop new antibody-based medications to treat chronic and acute methamphetamine abuse.
Background
We are currently accomplishing this goal through two projects in the laboratory.
In the first project we are combining antibody therapy and nanotechnology to generate an adaptable range of anti-methamphetamine medications (dendribodies) that will have applicability to important therapeutic treatment (e.g., a short-acting medication for overdose and a long-acting, low volume of distribution medication needed for chronic treatment of addiction).
These studies will provide the first detailed information on the necessary design features and molecular principles required to create an advanced new generation of novel pharmacokinetic antagonists for the treatment of drug abuse.
In a second collaborative project with researchers in the UAMS Department of Physiology and Biophysics, we are using X-ray crystallography to determine the molecular structures of our highest activity anti-methamphetamine antibodies.
We are using the resulting structural data and recombinant molecular technologies to engineer a new generation of clinically relevant humanized antibodies with enhanced efficacy against methamphetamine.
Accomplishments
In this unique multi-disciplinary project, we have integrated the fields of pharmacology, immunotherapy, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and medications development to pioneer new therapies for treating some of the problems of drug dependence.
We have established new methods for conjugating nanoparticles to anti-drug antibodies, analyzing their biochemical properties, and their in vitro and in vivo function.
Equipment
- AKTA Explorer 100 Air liquid chromatography system: This FPLC system is the industry standard for process development of purification methods of biomolecules and nanoparticles. It can monitor and record three UV-VIS wavelengths simultaneously, collect fractions by peak size, and is completely automated.
- BIOTEK Synergy HT UV-VIS/Fluorescence spectrophotometer with 96 and 386-well plate reader. Optional Take-3 plate addition allows for measurement of up to 16 samples of 2 ul simultaneously.
Grants
- National Institutes of Health / National Institute on Drug Abuse
Contact
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, College of Medicine
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Studies
4301 W. Markham #611
Little Rock, AR 72205
Email: EPeterson@uams.edu
Phone: (501) 686-7335