UCSF School of Pharmacy

Programs

The Center for Pharmacogenomics is being built around three major program areas: research, education, and patient care care.

Research

Research in pharmacogenomics is multidisciplinary and ranges from molecular studies in model organisms to clinical studies that evaluate drug response in patient populations.

The Center has four research goals:

Goal 1: To discover genetic variation in drug response genes

The goal of research in genetic variation is to identify variation in drug response genes. This can be done by sequencing drug response genes in patient populations in large scale, multi-center genomic studies.

Center director Kathleen Giacomini, PhD is the principal investigator coordinating the work of more than 20 scientists at the University of California, San Francisco -- with colleagues also from the University of California, Los Angeles and Stanford University -- on a US$11.9 million four-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to identify the genetic basis for why people differ in their responses to drugs. The investigators are conducting a series of integrated studies to elucidate the pharmacogenetics of membrane transporters. This class of proteins is involved in moving drugs into cells and pumping drugs out of cells. Membrane transporters are of great pharmacological importance because they are the targets of many of the most commonly used prescription drugs and are major determinants of drug levels.

The group has now sequenced 25 membrane transporter genes in 250 ethnically diverse populations. The results are striking and suggest that some of the genes may play a role in variation in drug response.

Goal 2: To evaluate the functional significance of genetic variation (functional genomics)

Once an understanding of genetic variation has been obtained, the major question is: What are the functional consequences of this variation to drug response?

Research in this area uses:

• Model organisms for functional analysis of variants and all aspects of drug response
• DNA microarrays for expression analysis. DNA microarrays offer exciting opportunities in the study of complex responses to drugs including drug action, toxicities, and resistance
• Mass spectrometry and other methods for protein analysis -- proteomics.

Goal 3: To use pharmacogenomics for drug discovery and development

The major challenge in drug discovery is to identify new drug targets and develop high through-put screening methods for rapid drug discovery. An equally important challenge is to develop candidate drugs that produce optimal levels after oral administration and exhibit minimal adverse effects.

Goal 4: To expand clinical research in pharmacogenomics

This work includes studies of large patient populations that evaluate drug levels and response in order to assess the effect of genetic variation in drug response genes on therapeutic and adverse effects. Other work includes the development of tests to detect in patients drug response genes that affect clinical response to specific drugs.

A large study is under way that addresses the question of whether there is genetic basis for variation in response to anti-depressants. The study represents a major collaboration between UCSF scientists and scientists at Kaiser Permanente of Northern California Division of Research. Already more than 100 patients have completed the study.

Education

Education is a major goal of the Center for Pharmacogenomics and includes the training of PhD graduate students, Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) professional students, as well as the education of the public and seasoned scientists, pharmacists, and physicians. All of these programs are under way.

Patient Care

Ultimately, the Center for Pharmacogenomics will translate its research and educational programs into better care for patients by health care providers and better self care by people themselves. Learn about our Center for Consumer Self Care.

Go To: Center for Pharmacogenomics home page