2021

Erin Scholz, PhD 
“Identifying Factors Influencing Drug Distribution and HIV Persistence in the Lymph Node”
Advisor: Angela Kashuba, PharmD

Zoey Tang, PhD
“Contextualization the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Therapeutic Antibodies Through Molecular Imaging and Mathematical Modeling”
Advisor: Carter Cao, PhD

2020

Jim Beaudoin, PharmD 
“In Vitro and Modeling Approaches to Investigate Mechanisms of Drug-Induced Liver Injury”
Advisor: Kim Brouwer, PharmD, PhD

Sara Salerno, PharmD, PhD
“Application of Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling to Characterize CYP3A-Mediated Drug-Drug Interactions in the Pediatric Population”
Advisor: Daniel Gonzalez, PharmD, PhD

2019

Izna Ali, PharmD, PhD 
“Functional Impact of Genetic Variants, Medications, and Disease on Hepatic Bile Acid Transporters”
Advisor: Kim Brouwer, PharmD, PhD

Olivia Dong, PhD, MPH
“Multi-Gene Pharmacogenetic Testing with DNA2RX in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease”
Advisor: Tim Wiltshire, PhD
Current Position: Post Doctoral Fellow at Duke School of Medicine

Christoph Hornik, MD, PhD
“Application of Pharmacometric Methods to Optimize Trial Design and Dosing in Critically Ill infants”
Advisor: Daniel Gonzalez, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Pediatric Cardiologist, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Specialist

Christine Lee, PhD, MS
“Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling to Predict the Disposition of Vincristine and Amoxicillin in Pediatric and Infant Populations”
Advisor: Dhiren Thakker, PhD

2018

Jingxian Chen, PhD, MS
“The Application of Nonlinear Mixed-Effects Modeling to the Optimization of HIV treatment in Special Populations”
Advisor: Julie Dumond, PharmD, MS
Current Position: Senior Scientist, Quantitative Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics at Merck

Cen Guo, PhD, MS
“Prediction and Evaluation of Hepatic Bile Acid Transporter-Mediated Drug Interactions using In Vitro Tools and Pharmacokinetic Modeling”
Advisor: Kim Brouwer, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Manager, Clinical Pharmacology at Pfizer

Nithya Srinivas, PhD
“Distribution of Antiretrovirals Within the Brain Tissue and Relationship with Neurocognitive Impairment Due to HIV”
Advisor: Angela Kashuba, Angela Kashuba, BSc.Phm., Pharm.D., DABCP, FCP

2017

Nancy Gillis, PharmD, PhD
“Exploring Clinical and Genetic Factors to Optimize the Use of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Clinical Practice”
Advisor: Tim Wiltshire, PhD
Current Position: Research Scientist at Moffitt Cancer Center

Jason Slizgi, PhD
“Hepatic Transporter Function in Liver Disease: Impact on Hepatobiliary Disposition and Pharmacokinetics”
Advisor: Kim Brouwer, PharmD, PhD

Corbin Thompson, PharmD, PhD
“Multispecies Evaluation of Antiretroviral Disposition in a Putative Tissue Reservoir of HIV: Implications for Eradication”
Advisor: Angela Kashuba, PharmD
Current Position: DMPK Scientist at Theravance Biopharma

2016

Hao Cai, PhD, MS
“Metformin Efficacy against Breast Cancer Depends on its Cellular Uptake via Cation Transporters and Modulation of Insulin/IGF1 Pathway”
Advisor: Dhiren Thakker, PhD
Current Position: Associate Scientist at Genetech

Kevin Watt, MD, PhD
“Physiologically-based Pharmacokinetics in Critically Ill Children”
Advisor: Kim Brouwer, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Duke University

2015

Daniel Crona, PharmD, PhD
“Identification and Validation of Germline Genetic Variants that Associate with Sorafenib Clinical Outcomes and Cytotoxicity”
Advisor: Federico Innocenti, MD, PhD
Current Position: Assistant Professor at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy

Akinyemi Oni-Orisan, PharmD, PhD
“Translational Approaches to Understanding the Role of Cytochrome P450-Derived Epoxyeicosatrienoic Acids in Coronary Artery Disease”
Advisor: Craig Lee, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Assistant Professor at University of California, San Francisco

Nicole Zane, PharmD, PhD
“Predicting Pharmacokinetic Behavior and Dose of Sildenafil and Voriconazole in Neonatal and Pediatric Populations by In Vitro Metabolism and PBPK Modeling”
Adviser: Dhiren Thakker, PhD
Current Position: Research Scientist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

2014

Brian Ferslew, PharmD, PhD
“Importance of Hepatic Transporters, Including Basolateral Efflux Proteins, in Drug Disposition: Impact of Phospholipidosis and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis”
Major Adviser: Kim Brouwer, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Research Scientist at Theravance Biopharma

Amber Frick, PharmD, PhD
“Cellular Genomics Approaches to Defining Susceptibility and Resistance to Chemotherapeutic Toxicity in Immune Cells”
Major Adviser: Tim Wiltshire, PhD
Current Position: Clinical Assistant Professor at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy

Melanie Nicol, PharmD, PhD
“Pre-exposure Prophylaxis for HIV: Linking Antiretroviral Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics to Identify Optimal Dosing Strategies”
Major Adviser: Angela Kashuba, PharmD
Current Position: Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Pharmacy

Gina Song, PharmD, PhD
“Immune Mechanisms Regulating Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of PEGylated Liposomal Anticancer Agents”
Major Adviser: William Zamboni, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Investigator at ScitoVation

Kyunghee Yang, PhD, MS
“Mechanisms of Drug-Induced Liver Injury: The Role of Hepatic Transport Proteins”
Major Adviser: Kim Brouwer, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Scientist I at DILIsym Services, Inc.

2013

Scott Brantley, PhD
“Translational Methods for Quantitative Prediction of Metabolic Herbal Product-Drug Interactions: Case Study with Milk Thistle”
Major Adviser: Mary Paine, PhD
Current Position: Associate Director at Nuventra Pharma Sciences

Whitney Caron Kirschbrown, PharmD, PhD
“The Mononuclear Phagocyte System as a Phenotypic Probe for Nanoparticle Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics in Preclinical and Clinical Systems”
Major Adviser: William Zamboni, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Scientist (Clinical Pharmacology) at Genetech

Dan Hertz, PharmD, PhD
“Pharmacogenetic Predictors of Taxane-Induced Neuropathy”
Major Adviser: Howard McLeod, PharmD
Current Position: Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy

Nathan Pfeifer, PharmD, PhD
“Impact of Hepatic Transporter Multiplicity of Transport and Loss-of-Function on Hepatocellular Distribution and Excretion of Drugs”
Major Adviser: Kim Brouwer, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Senior Scientist at Theravance Biopharma

Robert Schuck, PharmD, PhD
“Translational Characterization of Arachidonic Acid Metabolism in Vascular Inflammation and Cardiovascular Disease”
Major Adviser: Craig Lee, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Clinical Pharmacologist (Genomics and Targeted Therapy) at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Jasmine Luzum (formerly Talameh), PharmD, PhD, BCPS
“Genetic and Pharmacogenetic Associations with Heart Failure Survival”
Major Adviser: Herb Patterson, PharmD
Current Position: Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy

Christina Won, PharmD, PhD
“Integrated Approaches to Identify and Predict Pharmacokinetic-Based Dietary Substance-Drug Interactions”
Major Adviser: Mary Paine, PhD
Current Position: Senior Manager, Clinical Pharmacology at Valeant Pharmaceuticals

2012

Michael Cohen-Wolkowiez, MD, PhD
“Determining the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Antibiotics in Premature Infants”
Major Advisers: Angela Kashuba, PharmD; Daniel Benjamin Jr., MD, MPH., PhD
Current Position: Professor of Pediatrics & Director of the Duke Early Phase Clinical Research Unit

LaToya Griffin, PhD
“Interactions of Antiretroviral Protease Inhibitors with Hepatic Transport of Proteins: Mechanisms of Drug-Induced Liver Injury”
Major Adviser: Kim Brouwer, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Teaching Assistant Professor at the Brody School of Medicine in East Carolina University

2011

Cristina Benton, PharmD, PhD, RAC
“Preclinical Assessment of Genetic and Neurobiochemical Markers for Depressive Behavior and Antidepressant Response”
Major Adviser: Tim Wiltshire, PhD
Current Position: Program Manager, Center for Pharmacogenomics and Individualized Therapy, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy

Tae Eun Kim, PhD
“The Impact of Pharmacodynamic Parameters on Prediction of Clinical Outcome in HIV-1 Infected Patients and HCV Patients with HIV Co-Infection”
Major Advisers: Gary Pollack, PhD; Adam Persky, PhD

Katie Theken, PharmD, PhD
“Cytochrome P450-Derived Eicosanoids, Inflammation, and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease”
Major Adviser: Craig Lee, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Institute for Translational Medicine & Therapeutics

Zhixia Yan, PhD, MS
“Integration of Preclinical and Clinical Data with Pharmacokinetic Modeling and Simulations to Characterize the Disposition of Orally-Active Antiparasitic Prodrugs and Metabolites: Application to Development of an Optimal Dosage Regimen in Humans”
Major Advisers: Mary Paine, PhD; Kim Brouwer PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Senior Clinical Pharmacology Reviewer, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

2010

Shawn Watson, PharmD, PhD
“Molecular Profiling of Clinical Drug Resistance”
Major Adviser: Howard McLeod, PharmD
Current Position: Associate Director of Medical Writing at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Venita Watson, PhD
“An Ex Vivo Familial Genetics Strategy for Determining Mechanism of Action”
Major Adviser: Howard McLeod, PharmD
Current Position: Research Scientist at FORMA Therapeutics, Inc.

Huali Wu, PhD
“Clinical Pharmacology of Anticancer Agents Delivered via PEGylated Liposomes”
Major Adviser: William Zamboni, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Pharmacokineticist II, Duke Clinical Research Institute

2009

Brandon Swift, PhD
“Investigation of Probe Substrates to Assess Hepatic Transport Function”
Major Adviser: Kim Brouwer, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Scientific Advisor at IQVIA

2008

Jin Kyung Lee, PhD
“Role of Hepatic Transport Proteins in Drug Disposition and Drug-induced Liver Injury”
Major Adviser: Kim Brouwer, PharmD, PhD
Current Position: Senior Scientist at Qualyst Transporter Solutions.

Emily Olson Dumas, PhD
“Parametric and Nonparametric Approaches to Quantitating Pharmacodynamic Response”
Major Adviser: Gary M. Pollack, PhD
Current Position: Senior Scientific Director at AbbVie

2007

Patrick J. Roberts, PharmD, PhD
“Targeting Ras and Rho Family GTPases for the Treatment of Cancer through Inhibition of CAAX-Signaled Modifications and the ERK MAPK Pathway”
Major Adviser: Howard Mcleod, PharmD
Current Position: Senior Director of Translational Medicine at G1 Therapeutics

Rong Zhao, PhD
Dissertation: “Experimental Approaches to Measuring Brain Exposure: Rate, Extent and Regional Distribution”
Major Adviser: Gary M. Pollack, PhD
Current Position: Head of DMPK (China) at Novartis

2006

Craig R. Lee, PharmD, PhD
“Cytochrome P450 Derived Eicosanoids, Endothelial Function and Cardiovascular Disease”
Major Advisers: Darryl C. Zeldin, MD (NIEHS/NIH) and J. Herbert Patterson, PharmD
Current Position: Associate Professor of Pharmacy at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy

2005

Mary Peace McRae, PharmD, PhD
“Understanding Hepatotoxicity of Antiretroviral Drugs in the Treatment of HIV/AIDS”
Major Adviser: Angela Kashuba, PharmD
Current Position: Assistant Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy