Kim L. R. Brouwer, PharmD, PhD George H. Cocolas Distinguished Professor Division Chair Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics Research Interests Mechanisms of hepatic uptake, translocation and biliary excretion; drug transport; aberrant gastrointestinal drug absorption phenomena; pharmacokinetics.

The liver is responsible, at least in part, for eliminating the majority of drugs from the body. Recently, proteins responsible for transporting drugs into and out of the liver have been identified. Alterations in the function of these proteins due to age, gender, genetic differences, disease states, and interactions with co-administered drugs, food and/or environmental contaminants may play an important role in the efficacy and toxicity of drugs.

Kim Brouwer, PharmD, PhD, directs an NIH-funded research program in hepatobiliary drug disposition that focuses on the mechanisms of drug uptake and excretion by the liver.

“There is a tremendous need in the drug development process to establish early screening methods that allow selection of drug candidates with optimal pharmacokinetic properties,” says Brouwer. “Our sandwich-cultured hepatocyte model is a promising new screening tool to predict disposition of drugs in the human liver. An equally exciting aspect of this model is the potential to predict hepatotoxicity of drug candidates at an early stage in the development process.”

Brouwer emphasizes that pursuing pharmacy education in a major research university presents distinct advantages to students because they have the opportunity to learn firsthand from scientists who are at the cutting edge of their disciplines.