2011

Dean’s
Summer Research Fellowships
USC School of Pharmacy
John Stauffer Pharmaceutical
Sciences Center

Available to USC undergraduates

and Pharm.D Students

$4500 over 3 months

Earliest start date: June 1, 2011

The list of participating faculty and application guidelines is

enclosed in this packet. For more information contact Wade
Thompson-Harper (323-442-1474), wharper@usc.edu).
Application deadline: May 12, 2011
 Application Guidelines

Summer Research Fellowships

1. Select a faculty member from the attached list in whose lab you would
like to work.
2. Contact this faculty member to arrange an interview.
3. Discuss the research with the faculty member and formulate a project.
Jointly prepare a description of the project and goals for the summer
(maximum, one page single spaced).
4. Fill out the cover sheet (ENCLOSED).
5. Submit the following:
(1) Project description
(2) Cover sheet
(3) Letter from the prospective faculty sponsor, demonstrating
willingness to sponsor your application
(4) Transcripts from all undergraduate programs attended
(5) Supplemental materials describing previous research or other
material you feel the committee would find useful in evaluation of
your application.
(6) Fill out application electronically and e-mail it back to Wade
Thompson-Harper at wharper@usc.edu as a WORD document.
Committee on summer research:
Dr. Ronald L. Alkana (chair)
Dr. Nouri Neamati
Dr. Roger Duncan
Dr. Jeff McCombs
Dr. Ian Hutchinson

Applicants will be notified by May 26, 2011 as to the success of their

proposals. Successful applicants will be required to complete a brief
summary (1-2 pages) of their research progress at the conclusion of the
summer, before the final payment is disbursed, so that the Committee can
evaluate the success of the program.
 Participating Faculty Research Interests
Contact Information: http://www.usc.edu/info/directories/faculty_staff.html
or http://pharmacy.usc.edu/graduate

Drug Design and Discovery

J. Camarero, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Ph.D., University of

Barcelona, 1996. Areas of Research: Chemical biology and bio-organic chemistry, peptide chemistry
and synthetic protein chemistry focused on studying biological processes involved in bacterial
pathogenicity and design of therapeutics.
I. S. Haworth, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Ph.D., University of
Liverpool 1989 Areas of research: Computational drug design, NMR spectroscopy, structure and
dynamics of DNA and DNA-ligand complexes, molecular modeling, molecular dynamics.
N. Neamati, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Ph.D., University of
Texas, 1995. Areas of research: Structure- and mechanism-based drug design; computer-modeling,
cellular and molecular pharmacology of anti-cancer and antiviral drugs; pharmacogenomics and
target identification.
C. Wang, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ph.D., California Institute
of Technology, 2002, Areas of research: Biosynthesis of anti-tumor natural products
B. Olenyuk, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ph.D., University of
Utah . Areas of research: Chemical biology and bio-organic chemistry, chemical synthesis focused
on inhibition of transcriptional protein interactions; use of multivalent liganding approaches for
design and internalization of nanoparticles
.
Drug Transport and Delivery

S. F. Hamm-Alvarez Professor and Department Chair of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences;

Associate Dean for Research. Ph.D., Duke University 1990. Areas of research: Membrane
trafficking and exocytosis in epithelial cells; Mucosal immunity; Ocular surface and tear film;
autoimmune diseases, tear biomarkers of disease
A. Mackay, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ph.D., UC Berkeley,
2005, Areas of research: Bioresponsive lipids and peptides for the development of targeted
anticancer therapies
C. T. Okamoto, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Ph.D., UC Berkeley,
1989 Areas of research: Protein sorting in epithelial cells
W. C. Shen, Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Ph.D., Boston University, 1972
Areas of research: Gastrointestinal absorption of protein and peptide drugs via transferrin receptor-
mediated transcytosis. Lipidization of polypeptides in drug delivery
W. Wolf, Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Ph.D., Paris, 1956. Areas of research:
Pharmacokinetic imaging, noninvasive studies of drug bio distribution, targeting and metabolism
using NMRS and nuclear medicine imaging (including PET) techniques; pharmacokinetics of
antitumor agents, synthesis and mechanism of action of radiopharmaceuticals.
Drug Action and Mechanism

J.D. Adams Jr., Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ph.D. UC. San
Francisco, 1981, Areas of research: Bio activation of drugs and toxins in Parkinson's disease and
other diseases.
R. L. Alkana, Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Associate Dean of Graduate
Studies and Curricular Development; Pharm.D., University of Southern California. 1970 Ph.D., UC,
Irvine, 1975. Areas of research: Neuropharmacology, molecular mechanisms of behavioral action of
alcohol and other psychoactive drugs; medications development for treatment of alcoholism.
E. Cadenas, Professor Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences and of Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology; Ph.D., Buenos Aires, 1977. Areas of research: Free-radical chemistry and biology;
metabolism of quinones.

Molecular and Genetic Bases of Disease and Therapy

R.E. Brinton, Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences and of Neurosciences;

Ph.D.,University of Arizona, 1984. Areas of research: Neurobiology of learning and memory,
peptide and steroid induction of morphological, biochemical, and genomic plasticity in cultured
nerve cells.
R. F. Duncan, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences and of Microbiology;
Ph.D., University of Hawaii, 1978. Areas of research: Function of stress proteins in cell regulation
and cell survival during stress; molecular mechanisms that regulate the rate of protein synthesis.
J. C. Shih, Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Ph.D.UC Riverside, 1968. Areas of
research: Biochemistry and molecular biology of serotonin receptors and enzymes related to
catecholamine metabolism, molecular basis of mental disorders and aggressive behavior.
R. Sohal, Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Ph.D., Tulane University, 1965.
Areas of research: Free radicals signaling and aging.
B. Stiles, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Ph.D., University of Texas,
1998. Areas of research: Disease mechanisms using genetic models of cancer and diabetes.

Clinical Pharmacy Research

P. Beringer, Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, Pharm.D., University of Southern

California,1990, Pharmacy Practice Residency, UC San Francisco, 1991, Specialty Residency
Pharmacokinetics, UC San Francisco, 1992, Areas of research:
Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics, Pulmonary Diseases, Infectious Diseases.
D. L. Davies, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Director of the
Alcohol and Brain Research Laboratory. Ph.D., University of Southern California, 1996. Areas of
research: Neuropharmacology with an emphasis on alcohol and other psychoactive drugs that act on
GABA-A and other ligand-gated ion channels in the central nervous system.
Jeffery A. Goad, Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical
Economics and Policy, Pharm.D. University of Southern California, 1994, Masters in Public Health,
University of Southern California, School of Medicine 2003, Residency 1995. Area of Research:
Social/Behavioral survey methodology in the area of KABP modeling and clinical pharmacy practice
patterns.
G. H. Mitani, Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, Manager of the Cardiac/Anticoagulation; Pharm.
D., University of Southern California, 1972, Residency, University of Southern California, 1973.
Areas of research. Cardiovascular therapy and efficacy; ECG monitoring, adverse drug effects
management, safety of invasive dental procedures in cardiac patients, biphosphonates-related
osteonecrosis of the jaw.
T. Ng, Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, Pharm.D. Wayne State University 1998, Cardiovascular
Pharmacotherapy Fellowship, University of Utah 2000, Areas of research: Heart failure
pathophysiology and therapeutics - interaction between sympathetic and immune systems.
S. Park Assistant Professor of Clinical pharmacy, Pharm.D., BCPP. University of Southern California
2000, Psychiatric Pharmacy Practice Residency University of Southern California 2001, Areas of
research: psychiatry (depression, schizophrenia), chronic hepatitis C virus infection,
pharmacogenomics
A. Wong-Beringer, Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, Pharm.D. University of Southern
California 1990, Pharmacy Practice Residency and Fellowship in Infectious Diseases, UC San
Francisco 1992, Areas of research: Antimicrobial Pharmacology, Bacteria resistance and virulence
(MRSA and Pseudomonas), Infectious Diseases outcomes.

Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy

K. A. Johnson, Professor and Chair, Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy,
Pharm.D., M.P.H., Ph.D.; Area of Research: Public Health and Policy Research, Cost of Illness,
Outcomes Research Safety Net Clinic Pharmacist Evaluation, Health Disparities Research

S. Desai, Assistant Professor, Clinical Pharmacy and Director, USC Hospitals Clinical Authorization
Center, Pharm.D.; Area of Research: Pharmacy Benefits Management, Formulary Development and P&T
Committees, Specialty Pharmaceuticals and Payer Reimbursements (Commercial and Governmental)

[Amanda-1]:\grad affairs\summer research\ FacResInt_areas.doc

Cover Sheet
Summer Research Fellowships, 2011
USC School of Pharmacy
John Stauffer Pharmaceutical Sciences Center
Name:

USC ID Number
_______________________________

Home Address:

E-mail address:

Faculty Sponsor:

Title of Project

Undergraduate/PharmD Level:

Undergraduate Major: ____________ Minor: ____________

Overall GPA: _____________ Science GPA: _______________

Units Completed: __________ Science Units:

_______________