Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutics Commons^™

Developing Antibodies Against Galectin-3 And Galectin-9 To Target Endometriosis, Ashleigh Burger, Noah Farnsworth, Jared J. Reisnouer, Cheyenne Vue

2026 Symposium

Endometriosis is a disease characterized by pelvic pain and the formation of endometrial-like tissue on the outside of the uterine lining. This condition affects nearly 10% of women across the globe and confirming whether someone has endometriosis requires visualization in surgery. While the specific causes of this disease remain unclear, the over-expression of the Galectins 3 and 9 in ectopic endometrial tissues suggests a role in the development and maintenance of the condition. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are highly specific proteins with potential as diagnostic or treatment tools. The goal of this study is to generate antibodies against Gal3 and Gal9. …

Comparative Antiscabies Efficacy Of Sonneratia Alba Extracts: Evaluation Of Plant Parts And Concentrations In Mice, Delima Engga Maretha, Lara Mukti Taresha, Karina Yuliana, Iis Ariska, Silvia Diah Lestari

Makara Journal of Science

This study evaluated the antiscabies efficacy of 70% ethanol extracts from various parts of the mangrove Sonneratia alba (leaves, flowers, bark, and roots) as a potential alternative therapy. The primary objective was to compare the healing effects of the extracts at different concentrations on scabies lesions in mice (Mus musculus). Using a completely randomized design, 24 male Swiss Webster mice were assigned to four groups: a control (K0) group and three treatment groups to receive 10% (K1), 20% (K2), and 30% (K3) extract concentrations topically twice daily. The results demonstrated that the S. alba extracts had significant effects …

Investigating The Role Of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine For Cancer Symptom Management In Older Adults: A Rapid Review, Isabelle C. Karshner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Patients with cancer often experience symptoms related to disease, complications, and treatment. One potential method of alleviating these symptoms is traditional Chinese herbal medications (TCHM). This rapid review explores the role of traditional Chinese herbal medications in treating cancer-related symptoms in older adults.

Purpose: The purpose of this rapid review is to gain and provide a better understanding of the effects of TCHM on cancer-symptom management in the older adult population. This review explores the association between TCHM and effects on cancer symptoms in older adults, including interactions, toxicity, and signs/symptoms of TCHM use that may be useful information …

The Triangular Interaction Between Dietary Polyphenols, Gut Microbiota, And Metabolic Syndrome, Emily Bayliss

Senior Honors Theses

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a growing global health concern characterized by peripheral insulin resistance as well as impaired insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. Emerging evidence suggests that the gut microbiome, specifically gut dysbiosis, an imbalance in the gut microbiome, is a critical modulator of the pathophysiology of T2DM. Dietary polyphenols, a diverse group of bioactive compounds that are abundant in plant-based foods, have recently gained attention for their potential to attenuate metabolic disorders through their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as through modulating the composition and activity of gut microbes, thereby attenuating dysbiosis. However, the diabetic state …

Enhancing Cataract Surgery Outcomes: Optimal Use Of Pre- And Post-Operative Eye Drops, Keith Skolnick M.D., Anu Valiaveedu

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

Many preoperative and postoperative cataract patients struggle with comprehending the use of prescription medication as directed. Language barriers and low health literacy levels are major factors contributing to improper use of prescriptions. To increase patients comprehension, the Fort Lauderdale Eye Institute employed an educational intervention consisting of a live presentation and an instructional video. Results found that 44% of patients were hesitant to ask questions to clinical staff, 32% felt overwhelmed, and nearly 70% lacked confidence in using their prescribed eye drops. Following the intervention, 91% of patients reported increased confidence in their medications, and most indicated that the video …

Targeting Detoxifying Enzymes In The Lymphatic Filariasis Vector: An In Silico Study On Curcumin, Camphor, And Menthol, Rizal Subahar, Rawina Winita, Surya Dwira, Gulshan Fahmi El Bayani

Indonesian Journal of Medical Chemistry and Bioinformatics

Vector control remains a critical component in the prevention of lymphatic filariasis, a disease transmitted by insect vectors. Natural compounds such as curcumin, camphor, and menthol are being explored for their bio-insecticidal properties due to their potential to inhibit key detoxification and neurological enzymes in insects, including acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and cytochrome P450 oxidases (CYP450). A molecular docking study using SwissDock was conducted to evaluate the interaction of curcumin, camphor, and menthol with AChE, GST, and CYP450 enzymes. Binding affinity (ΔG), hydrogen bonding, and active site interactions were analyzed to assess the inhibitory potential of each compound. Curcumin …

Design, Synthesis, And Nmr-Guided Characterization Of A Targeted Covalent Inhibitor-Like Molecule Against Ivyp1 From P. Aeruginosa, Samuel Taylor Moore

Master's Theses

Multi-drug resistance poses a serious threat to future generations and historical antibiotic pipelines; consequently, the medical and economic burdens associated with treating multidrug-resistant bacteria are substantiated. In this context, P. aeruginosa (PA) emerges as one of the most significant healthcare challenges, being a leading cause of resistance-associated mortality worldwide. Despite modern efforts to combat these poor outcomes, drug-resistant cases continue to rise, and the need for novel antibiotic treatment is apparent. To this end, we investigated relevant resistance mechanisms and past antibiotic targets within PA, and in doing so, we identified relationships between peptidoglycan biology and a periplasmic protein, Inhibitor …

Development Of Long-Acting Antiviral And Antimicrobial Prodrug Nanoformulations, Srijanee Das

Theses & Dissertations

Over the past decade, the global burden of infectious diseases has increased substantively, underscoring the need for more effective treatment strategies. However, the discovery and development of new drugs with desirable safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy is a time consuming and costly process with great uncertainty around success rate. As an alternative to new drug development, prodrugs and novel drug delivery systems have increasingly been explored. Both serve to overcome the drug development challenges. Such drug formulations that permit extended dosing intervals of potent native drugs serve multiple purposes by promoting patient adherence to in improving treatment outcomes. This is especially …

Efficacy Of Mcl-1 Inhibitors In Multiple Myeloma Cells Resistant To Bortezomib, Emily Nelson, Omar S. Al-Odat, Sabrina M. Paparo, Daniel A. Guirguis, Gabriella Yao, Manoj Pandey, Subash Jonnalagadda, Tulin Budak-Alpdogan

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a type of cancer that affects plasma B cells. Patients with MM often experience frequent relapses and can develop resistance to drugs. As a medical researcher, it is important to understand the role of Mcl-1 in preventing intrinsic apoptosis and drug resistance. Mcl-1 belongs to the anti-apoptotic subgroup of Bcl-2 family proteins and plays a crucial role in these processes. Mcl-1 plays a crucial role in driving disease progression and contributing to drug resistance in MM. It has been observed that there is an increased expression of Mcl-1 in 52% of patients with MM during diagnosis, …

Intra-Accumbens Microinfusion Of The Dopamine D3 Receptor Partial Agonist (±)Vk4-40 Does Not Affect Basal Locomotion In Mice, Yeonwoo Sim, Nicole M. Hinds, Amy Hauck Newman, Daniel F. Manvich

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The opioid epidemic remains a pressing public health crisis, prompting the search for alternative pharmacotherapies for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). This study explores the potential of the dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) partial agonist, (±)VK4-40, as a novel treatment option. We investigated the impact of intra-nucleus accumbens (NAc) microinfusion of VK4-40 on basal locomotion in mice. Results indicate that VK4-40 did not significantly alter basal locomotion, suggesting that its therapeutic effects may not be mediated through disruptions in generalized motor function. Future research will focus on elucidating the neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying VK4-40's therapeutic actions and exploring its effects on psychostimulant-induced hyperlocomotion. …

Cell-Based Experimental Evidence To The Anti-Covid-19 Potential Of Ashwagandha And Honeybee Propolis Ingredients, Renu Wadhwa, Durai Sundar, Yoshiyuki Ishida, Keiji Terao, Sunil C. Kaul

Research Symposium

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic emerged in December 2019 by a novel strain of SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) has led to new endeavours in repurposing of existing drugs, anti-COVID-19 vaccine and drug development. Natural products, due to their general safety and wider availability, have attracted research and public attention. In this study, we report anti-COVID potential of compounds from honeybee propolis and Ayurvedic herb, Ashwagandha. Effect of active ingredients was studied on human cell surface receptors (ACE-2:Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2/Spike protein and TMPRSS2:Transmembrane Protease Serine 2), critical for virus infection and virus main protease (Mpro, essential for virus replication), …

Prevention Of Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity By A Coumestan Analogue, Psoralidin, Mujtaba H. Shah, Myia Aiges, Kota V. Ramana

Annual Research Symposium

Natural phenolic compound Psoralidin limits cardiotoxicity associated with Doxorubicin

Phase 1a Clinical Study For Q-Griffithsin Intranasal Spray For Prevention Of Coronavirus, Megan Bezold, Kenneth Palmer, Nobuyuki Matoba, Elizabeth Cash

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly transmissible virus that causes acute respiratory disease with possible long-term complications, known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Griffithsin (GRFT; including the oxidation-resistant variant Q-GRFT used in this study) is an algal carbohydrate-binding protein exhibiting antiviral effects against many enveloped viruses, including all major variants of SARS- CoV-2 reported to date. Q-GRFT has been recombinantly manufactured in Nicotiana benthamiana plants, thoroughly purified, and formulated as an intranasal spray designed to be developed as a non-vaccine broad-spectrum prophylactic product for acute use. This is the first-in-human, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The …

Proposing An Rna Interference (Rnai)-Based Treatment For Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv) By Analyzing The Post-Transcriptional Gene Targeting Of Sars-Cov-2, Hepatitis C Virus, And A549 Lung Cancer Cells, Arjun Jagdeesh

Undergraduate Research Posters

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that infects CD4+ T cell lymphocytes in humans, leading to the development of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) if left untreated. While current treatment methods, including antiretroviral combination treatments, effectively limit HIV replication, HIV can evade these treatments due to its high mutation rate. Long-term antiretroviral treatment can also be toxic to patients, meaning patients would benefit from a new mechanism of HIV treatment. RNA interference (RNAi) is an antiviral pathway found in mammals, plants, and insects that involves a small-interfering RNA that is incorporated into a protein complex called the RNA-induced Silencing Complex …

Development Of A Chemical Biology Approach To Uncover The Influence Of Sequence Variations On Ces1 Activity In Live Cells, Samuel James Knebel

Masters Theses

Drug metabolism is the biochemical process of modifying drugs to detoxify and remove them through enzymatic transformations. These biotransformation’s occur primarily in the liver and are critical to understanding how pharmaceutical compounds are chemically altered inside the human body. Human carboxylesterases (CESs) catalyze the hydrolysis of esters, amides, thioesters, and carbamates. CES-mediated hydrolysis plays an important role in the metabolism of many drugs including the first FDA approved antiviral treatment for COVID-19, remdesivir (Veklury), the seizure control medication rufinamide (Banzel), and the flu antiviral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu). CES activity is known to be influenced by a variety of factors including …

Wastewater-Informed Public Health Intervention Playbook

Sustain Magazine

As the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic quickly spread from country to country and continent to continent in 2020, governments and scientists needed a way to track COVID-19 through populations in order to position public health interventions in the most impactful locations. Having a decision-based risk framework may help to guide policy creation that could minimize or prevent possible outbreaks and surges of infection within communities. The University of Louisville in partnership with Louisville’s Department of Public Health and Wellness tested this strategy in 2021 and 2022. This Wastewater-Informed Public Health Intervention Playbook describes the decisions and actions of that academic and public …

Targeting Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase (Nnos) For Melanoma Treatment, Shirley Tong

Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

Human cutaneous melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer and the incidence rates have continued to increase over the years. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) produces nitric oxide (NO) has been found to be overexpressed in human melanoma and the expression of nNOS is induced by interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). In our studies, nNOS has been implicated in IFN-γ-stimulated melanoma progression and the inhibition of nNOS using novel inhibitors effectively inhibited IFN-γ-stimulated tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model. Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is overexpressed in melanoma and plays an important role in suppressing the immune system ^12-14. Our …

Investigation Of Oncogenic Ras And Endoplasmic Reticulum-Mitochondria Calcium Flux And Their Relationship In The Context Of Tumorigenesis, Emma Anderson

Senior Honors Theses

Intracellular calcium as a signaling molecule is a pervasive feature of cellular pathways, especially those that manage internal homeostasis and transitions through the cell cycle, so much so that regulated, responsive calcium flux between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the mitochondria has been suggested to play a major role in cancer development. Another factor commonly implicated in tumorigenesis is RAS, an oncogene that controls signaling for many pathways that are also regulated by calcium. While both calcium and oncogenic RAS signaling are implicated in cancer development, possible links between them have yet to be determined. The identification of these links …

Differentiating The Mechanistic Role And Chemotherapeutic Potential Of Src And Podoplanin In Oncogenic Transformation, Edward P. Retzbach

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

There were an estimated 20 million new cancer cases worldwide in 2020, resulting in nearly 1000 deaths per hour [1]. Oral cancer exemplifies the difficulties of treating cancer patients. The first line for oral cancer treatment is surgery and radiation that can lead to patient disfigurement and decreased quality of life in cancer survivors [2-4]. Though there have been many developments in chemotherapy in the last 30 years, the 50% mortality rate associated with oral cancer has not changed [4, 5]. Longitudinal studies that track survival rates in oral cancer patients demonstrate a 3-fold reduction in patient deaths when patients …

Comparative Analysis Of N95 Respirators Fit Testing With Commercially Available And In House Reagent, Erum Khan, Joveria Farooqi, Humaira Shafaq, Kaleem Ullah Khushik, Syed Shamim Raza, Sara Khan, Zohra Rafiq, Bushra Ahmed, Shazia Chisti, Kehkashan Imtiaz, Hasnain Zafar, Afia Zafar

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: Due to COVID-19, thousands of healthcare workers have been affected and have lost their lives in the line of duty. For the protection of healthcare workers, WHO and CDC have made standard guidelines and requirements for PPE use. N95 masks are amongst the most readily used PPE by healthcare professionals and it is highly recommended by OSHA that every make and model of N95 should go through a fit test at least once in a year.
Method: A total of 30 randomly selected healthcare professionals (who were a regular user of N95 respiratory masks) were subjected to assess in-house …

Development Of Vaccines And Antivirals Against Zika Virus, Aryamav Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The re-emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV), an arbovirus, poses a major global human health concern because of its ability to cause congenital abnormalities and neurological diseases. While many candidate vaccines and antiviral drugs are in the developmental pipeline, none have been approved for use against ZIKV infection. This dissertation describes the characterization of one vaccine and two antiviral drug candidates against ZIKV infection. A bacterial ferritin-based nanoparticle vaccine, termed zDIII-F, is designed to display multiple copies of ZIKV E protein domain III on its surface. These stable nanoparticles are shown to induce robust antibody-mediated protection against lethal ZIKV infection in …

Synthesis Of 1-(4-Ethoxy-3-Methoxybenzyl)-1,10-Phenanthrolin-1-Ium Bromide And Its Evaluation As Antiplasmodium Through Heme Polymerization Inhibitory Activity (Hpia) Assay, Dhina Fitriastuti, Viny Alfiyah, Mustofa Mustofa, Jumina Jumina, Muhammad Idham Darussalam Mardjan

Makara Journal of Science

This study describes the development of N-benzyl-1,10-phenantrolinium salt as an antiplasmodium agent. The salt, that is, 1-(4-ethoxy-3-methoxybenzyl)-1,10-phenanthrolin-1-ium bromide, was prepared using vanillin as the starting material in four simple synthetic steps. First, the alkylation of vanillin using diethyl sulfate produced 4-ethoxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde in 79% yield. Second, the reduction of the protected vanillin by NaBH₄ through the grinding method allowed us to obtain 4-ethoxy-3-methoxybenzyl alcohol in 96% yield. Next, the bromination of the benzyl alcohol under solvent-free condition led to the formation of the corresponding benzyl bromide, which in turn underwent bimolecular nucleophilic substitution with 1,10-phenanthroline to produce the desired …

Amphiphilic Cell-Penetrating Peptides Containing Natural And Unnatural Amino Acids As Drug Delivery Tools And Antimicrobial Agents, David Salehi

Pharmaceutical Sciences (MS) Theses

Cell-penetrating peptides containing arginine as positively charged residues and tryptophan or diphenylalanine as hydrophobic residues were synthesized. The synthesis was accomplished through the Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis in the presence of HBTU and DIPEA. The side-chain protected linear peptides were cleaved from the resin and cyclized in the presence of DIC and HOAt in the solution phase overnight. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry was used to characterize the peptides.

The cytotoxicity of the synthesized peptides was determined in CCRF-CEM (human, lymphoblast peripheral blood), and HEK-293 (human, embryonic epithelial kidney healthy) cells using the MTS assay. A concentration of 10 µM was found …

Nebulizer-Based Systems To Improve Pharmaceutical Aerosol Delivery To The Lungs, Benjamin M. Spence

Theses and Dissertations

Combining vibrating mesh nebulizers with additional new technologies leads to substantial improvements in pharmaceutical aerosol delivery to the lungs across therapeutic administration methods. In this dissertation, streamlined components, aerosol administration synchronization, and/or Excipient Enhanced Growth (EEG) technologies were utilized to develop and test several novel devices and aerosol delivery systems. The first focus of this work was to improve the poor delivery efficiency, e.g., 3.6% of nominal dose (Dugernier et al. 2017), of aerosolized medication administration to adult human subjects concurrent with high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy, a form of continuous-flow non-invasive ventilation (NIV). The developed Low-Volume Mixer-Heater (LVMH) …

Use Of Small Molecule Fanconi Anemia Pathway Inhibitors As Sensitizing Agents To Laromustine., Sam W. Marchant

Honors Theses

Laromustine is an experimental chemotherapeutic sulfonyl hydrazine prodrug shown in clinical trials to be effective against acute myeloid leukemia. The mechanism of action of laromustine involves interstrand crosslinking, via chloroethylation, and enzyme inhibition, caused by carbamoylation. The work described herein aims to investigate whether inhibition of the replication-dependent interstrand crosslink repair Fanconi Anemia pathway further sensitizes cells to laromustine. By measuring metabolic activity immediately after drug exposure, we find laromustine to be equally as cytotoxic towards Fanconi Anemia deficient and wild type cells. However, through clonogenic assays we show Fanconi Anemia mutations sensitize cells to laromustine’s anti-proliferative effect. Furthermore, we …

Bypassing The Blood-Brain Barrier: A Physical And Pharmacological Approach For The Treatment Of Metastatic Brain Tumors, Samuel A. Sprowls

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation (a) provided an in depth literature review of methods to disrupt the BBB/BTB and improve therapeutic distribution to brain tumors, (b) evaluated the use of azacitidine as a single agent therapy for the treatment of brain metastasis of breast cancer and a potential molecular mechanism by which brain tropic cells are sensitized to hypomethylating agents, (c) determined the impact cannabidiol has on P-glycoprotein mediated efflux at the blood-brain barrier and its potential for use as a single agent treatment for metastatic brain tumors, (d) developed a preclinical radiation therapy protocol for use in small animals and in vitro …

Antidepressants Versus Music Therapy: Which Treatment Is Better For Treating Depression In Parkinson's Disease?, Emaan Dawood

Virginias Collegiate Honors Council Conference

Music and medicine are merging to treat depression in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Antidepressants, the current standard, demonstrate mixed effects in clinical trials, warranting other treatment options. Here, I compare music therapy to antidepressants in the treatment of depression in PD via literature review. Studies of depressed PD patients undergoing music therapy and/or antidepressants were reviewed with attention to variables including depression (on a patient-reported outcome) that were measured pre- and post- therapy. In the music studies, improvements were seen in depression. Methodological inconsistencies across these studies, a paucity of studies, and small sample sizes, however, necessitate more research to reach …

Delivery Of Small Molecule And Rna Using Synthetic Polymeric Micelles And Multifunctional Exosomes For The Treatment Of Type 1 Diabetes, Yang Peng

Theses & Dissertations

Type 1 diabetes is one of the most challenging chronic autoimmune diseases. The destruction and dysfunction of insulin-secreting β cells are the results of inflammatory infiltration and the synergistic effect of multiple immune cells. The aim of this dissertation is to develop novel and reliable therapeutic approaches to advance the treatment of T1D: including chemical modification of a broad-spectrum immunosuppressant, co-application of small molecule based immune intervention and siRNA based β cell preservative therapy, and administration of a PI3K-δ/γ dual inhibitor to specifically target immune cells, utilizing synthetic polymeric micelles or natural produced multi-functional exosomes derived from human bone marrow …

Sustainable Solutions, Fall/Winter 2020, Issue 41

Sustain Magazine

No abstract provided.

Environmentally Responsible Land Use, Spring/Summer 2010, Issue 22

Sustain Magazine

No abstract provided.