Our researchers focus on the development of novel pharmacological approaches to treating a wide range of disorders and diseases through drug development, delivery and utilization.
The overarching goal of pharmaceutical research is to design and test drugs with increased efficacy and specificity to reduce side effects. The first step in drug discovery is the identification of potential molecular targets that can be stimulated or repressed for therapeutic purposes. Our researchers collaborate with a bioinformatics specialist to integrate and interpret complex molecular interactions and a data analyst to evaluate the impact of healthcare policies on medication utilization and cost-effectiveness.
Kumar Mukherjee, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice analyzed whether the oral anti-diabetic drug Metformin may improve the survival of elderly patients who have been diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC, commonly known as liver cancer, is one of the deadliest cancers with a survival rate of less than 20% five years after diagnosis.
PCOM Georgia's Eric Wang, PhD, was awarded $10,000 by American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) to support his research on developing new therapeutic agents to treat multiple myeloma. “What I hope to accomplish is to identify potential drug candidates from natural sources with anti-myeloma effects and elucidate their mechanism of action,” Dr. Wang explained.
PCOM Georgia pharmacy researchers Shashidharamurthy Taval, PhD, Vicky Mody, PhD, and Srujana Rayalam, DVM, PhD, used computational molecular modeling to explore the efficacy of FDA-approved drugs for their inhibitory effects on viral enzymes. Results showed that some current pharmaceuticals could be repurposed to suppress the replication of the COVID-19 virus.
PCOM aims to develop innovative approaches to promoting health through basic, translational, clinical, behavioral, education and community research projects.
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