Liusheng Huang, PhD

Co-Dir, Drug Research Unit
Department of Clinical Pharmacy
[email protected]
Phone: +1 415 502-2594

Links

UCSF Profiles Drug Research Unit (DRU)

What I do

As Co-Director of the Drug Research Unit (DRU), I bring nearly 20 years experience in analytical development and focus on development of novel methods for some of the most critical but understudied drugs in the world, such as drugs for malaria. My research interest is in optimizing these methods so we can quantitate drugs as close to the site of pharmacological action as is possible with the overarching goal of treating patients with the best drug regimens. Administratively, I oversee analytical work at the DRU and core activities that support our UCSF collaborators for a variety of research projects and facilitate identifying new collaborations.

Professional background

Degrees

PhD, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, 2003
BS, Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Beijing Medical University, Beijing, China, 1992

Research keywords

  • Antimalarials
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry
  • Drug-Drug-Interaction
  • Bioanalysis
  • Nevirapine
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Quinolines
  • Antimalarials
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry
  • Horseradish Peroxidase
  • Fluorenes
  • malaria
  • Liquid Chromatography
  • Artemisinins
  • Vidarabine
  • Ethanolamines
  • Heme
  • Malaria, Falciparum
  • Peroxidases

Publications

Vong Sok, Florence Marzan, Michelle Roh, Kevin Guo, Jenny Legac, Norah Mwebaza, Grant Dorsey, Philip Rosenthal, Francesca T. Aweeka, Liusheng Huang. Determination of sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine in microvolume human plasma using ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandam mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography B. 2024 Jan 1; 124030.
Beth Apsel Winger, Felicity Usac, Liusheng Huang, Ashutosh Lal, Janel R. Long-Boyle. Pharmacokinetics (PK) of Deferasirox in Transfusion Dependent Thalassemia. Blood. 2023 Nov 28; 142(Supplement 1):5248.
Hong H, Aslam-Mir U, Kajubi R, Wallender E, Mwebaza N, Dorsey G, Rosenthal PJ, Aweeka FT, Huang L. Efavirenz-Based Antiretroviral Therapy but Not Pregnancy Increased Unbound Piperaquine Exposure in Women during Malaria Chemoprevention. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2023 04 18; 67(4):e0142722.
Whalen ME, Kajubi R, Goodwin J, Orukan F, Colt M, Huang L, Richards K, Wang K, Li F, Mwebaza N, Aweeka FT, Parikh S. The Impact of Extended Treatment With Artemether-lumefantrine on Antimalarial Exposure and Reinfection Risks in Ugandan Children With Uncomplicated Malaria: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Clin Infect Dis. 2023 02 08; 76(3):443-452.
Brooks JT, Solans BP, Lu Y, Kharbanda S, Dvorak CC, Lalefar N, Long S, Gupta AO, Horn B, Lamba JK, Huang L, Apsel-Winger B, Keizer RJ, Savic R, Long-Boyle J. Prospective Validation and Refinement of a Population Pharmacokinetic Model of Fludarabine in Children and Young Adults Undergoing Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Pharmaceutics. 2022 Nov 15; 14(11).
Kay K, Goodwin J, Ehrlich H, Ou J, Freeman T, Wang K, Li F, Wade M, French J, Huang L, Aweeka F, Mwebaza N, Kajubi R, Riggs M, Ruiz-Garcia A, Parikh S. Impact of Drug Exposure on Resistance Selection Following Artemether-Lumefantrine Treatment for Malaria in Children With and Without HIV in Uganda. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2023 03; 113(3):660-669.
Huang L, Winger BA, Cheah V, Gingrich D, Marzan F, Lu Y, Cooper JC, Aweeka F, Long-Boyle J. Quantification of N, N' N"-triethylenethiophosphoramide, N, N"-triethylenephosphoramide, cyclophosphamide, and 4-hydroxy-cyclophosphamide in microvolume human plasma to support neonatal and pediatric drug studies. J Chromatogr Open. 2022 Nov; 2.
Huang L, Sok V, Aslam-Mir U, Marzan F, Whalen M, Rosenthal PJ, Aweeka F. Determination of unbound piperaquine in human plasma by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr Open. 2022 Nov; 2.
Bieber JM, Sanman LE, Sun X, Hammerlindl H, Bao F, Roth MA, Koleske ML, Huang L, Aweeka F, Wu LF, Altschuler SJ. Differential toxicity to murine small and large intestinal epithelium induced by oncology drugs. Commun Biol. 2022 01 27; 5(1):99.
Poon R, Basuino L, Satishkumar N, Chatterjee A, Mukkayyan N, Buggeln E, Huang L, Nair V, Argudín MA, Datta SK, Chambers HF, Chatterjee SS. Loss of GdpP Function in Staphylococcus aureus Leads to β-Lactam Tolerance and Enhanced Evolution of β-Lactam Resistance. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2022 02 15; 66(2):e0143121.
Wallender E, Ali AM, Hughes E, Kakuru A, Jagannathan P, Muhindo MK, Opira B, Whalen M, Huang L, Duvalsaint M, Legac J, Kamya MR, Dorsey G, Aweeka F, Rosenthal PJ, Savic RM. Identifying an optimal dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine dosing regimen for malaria prevention in young Ugandan children. Nat Commun. 2021 11 18; 12(1):6714.
Sok V, Marzan F, Gingrich D, Aweeka F, Huang L. Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method for determination of hydroxychloroquine, its two metabolites, and azithromycin in EDTA-treated human plasma. PLoS One. 2021; 16(3):e0247356.
Gingrich D, Deitchman AN, Kantor A, Huang L, Stein JH, Currier JS, Hsue PY, Ribaudo HJ, Aweeka FT, ACTG 5314 Protocol Team. Methotrexate Decreases Tenofovir Exposure in Antiretroviral-Suppressed Individuals Living With HIV. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2020 12 15; 85(5):651-658.
Hughes E, Imperial M, Wallender E, Kajubi R, Huang L, Jagannathan P, Zhang N, Kakuru A, Natureeba P, Mwima MW, Muhindo M, Mwebaza N, Clark TD, Opira B, Nakalembe M, Havlir D, Kamya M, Rosenthal PJ, Dorsey G, Aweeka F, Savic RM. Piperaquine Exposure Is Altered by Pregnancy, HIV, and Nutritional Status in Ugandan Women. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020 11 17; 64(12).
Ippolito MM, Pringle JC, Siame M, Katowa B, Aydemir O, Oluoch PO, Huang L, Aweeka FT, Bailey JA, Juliano JJ, Meshnick SR, Shapiro TA, Moss WJ, Thuma PE. Therapeutic Efficacy of Artemether-Lumefantrine for Uncomplicated Falciparum Malaria in Northern Zambia. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2020 12; 103(6):2224-2232.
Mwebaza N, Cheah V, Forsman C, Kajubi R, Marzan F, Wallender E, Dorsey G, Rosenthal PJ, Aweeka F, Huang L. Determination of piperaquine concentration in human plasma and the correlation of capillary versus venous plasma concentrations. PLoS One. 2020; 15(5):e0233893.
Hughes E, Mwebaza N, Huang L, Kajubi R, Nguyen V, Nyunt MM, Orukan F, Mwima MW, Parikh S, Aweeka F. Efavirenz-Based Antiretroviral Therapy Reduces Artemether-Lumefantrine Exposure for Malaria Treatment in HIV-Infected Pregnant Women. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2020 02 01; 83(2):140-147.
Whalen ME, Kajubi R, Chamankhah N, Huang L, Orukan F, Wallender E, Kamya MR, Dorsey G, Jagannathan P, Rosenthal PJ, Mwebaza N, Aweeka FT. Reduced Exposure to Piperaquine, Compared to Adults, in Young Children Receiving Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine as Malaria Chemoprevention. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2019 12; 106(6):1310-1318.
Wang H, Jones AK, Dvorak CC, Huang L, Orchard P, Ivaturi V, Long-Boyle J. Population Pharmacokinetics of Clofarabine as Part of Pretransplantation Conditioning in Pediatric Subjects before Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2019 08; 25(8):1603-1610.
Huang L, Cheah V, Chan D, Marzan F, Dvorak CC, Aweeka FT, Long-Boyle J. Determination of melphalan in human plasma by UPLC-UV method. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2019 05; 83(5):905-910.
Savic RM, Jagannathan P, Kajubi R, Huang L, Zhang N, Were M, Kakuru A, Muhindo MK, Mwebaza N, Wallender E, Clark TD, Opira B, Kamya M, Havlir DV, Rosenthal PJ, Dorsey G, Aweeka FT. Intermittent Preventive Treatment for Malaria in Pregnancy: Optimization of Target Concentrations of Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine. Clin Infect Dis. 2018 09 14; 67(7):1079-1088.
Huang L, Mwebaza N, Kajubi R, Marzan F, Forsman C, Parikh S, Aweeka FT. Strong correlation of lumefantrine concentrations in capillary and venous plasma from malaria patients. PLoS One. 2018; 13(8):e0202082.
Huang L, Haagensen JAJ, Verotta D, Cheah V, Spormann AM, Aweeka F, Yang K. Determination of Tobramycin in M9 Medium by LC-MS/MS: Signal Enhancement by Trichloroacetic Acid. J Anal Methods Chem. 2018; 2018:7965124.
Ippolito MM, Huang L, Siame M, Thuma P, Shapiro TA, Aweeka FT. Semi-quantitative measurement of the antimalarial lumefantrine from untreated dried blood spots using LC-MS/MS. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2018 Jun 05; 155:241-246.
Wallender E, Vucicevic K, Jagannathan P, Huang L, Natureeba P, Kakuru A, Muhindo M, Nakalembe M, Havlir D, Kamya M, Aweeka F, Dorsey G, Rosenthal PJ, Savic RM. Predicting Optimal Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine Regimens to Prevent Malaria During Pregnancy for Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Women Receiving Efavirenz. J Infect Dis. 2018 03 05; 217(6):964-972.
Haagensen J, Verotta D, Huang L, Engel J, Spormann AM, Yang K. Spatiotemporal pharmacodynamics of meropenem- and tobramycin-treated Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2017 Dec 01; 72(12):3357-3365.
Conrad MD, Mota D, Foster M, Tukwasibwe S, Legac J, Tumwebaze P, Whalen M, Kakuru A, Nayebare P, Wallender E, Havlir DV, Jagannathan P, Huang L, Aweeka F, Kamya MR, Dorsey G, Rosenthal PJ. Impact of Intermittent Preventive Treatment During Pregnancy on Plasmodium falciparum Drug Resistance-Mediating Polymorphisms in Uganda. J Infect Dis. 2017 11 15; 216(8):1008-1017.
Huang L, Carey V, Lindsey JC, Marzan F, Gingrich D, Graham B, Barlow-Mosha L, Ssemambo PK, Kamthunzi P, Nachman S, Parikh S, Aweeka FT, IMPAACT P1079 protocol team. Concomitant nevirapine impacts pharmacokinetic exposure to the antimalarial artemether-lumefantrine in African children. PLoS One. 2017; 12(10):e0186589.
Ivaturi V, Dvorak CC, Chan D, Liu T, Cowan MJ, Wahlstrom J, Stricherz M, Jennissen C, Orchard PJ, Tolar J, Pai SY, Huang L, Aweeka F, Long-Boyle J. Pharmacokinetics and Model-Based Dosing to Optimize Fludarabine Therapy in Pediatric Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2017 Oct; 23(10):1701-1713.
Kajubi R, Huang L, Were M, Kiconco S, Li F, Marzan F, Gingrich D, Nyunt MM, Ssebuliba J, Mwebaza N, Aweeka FT, Parikh S. Parasite Clearance and Artemether Pharmacokinetics Parameters Over the Course of Artemether-Lumefantrine Treatment for Malaria in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Ugandan Children. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2016 Oct; 3(4):ofw217.
Parikh S, Kajubi R, Huang L, Ssebuliba J, Kiconco S, Gao Q, Li F, Were M, Kakuru A, Achan J, Mwebaza N, Aweeka FT. Antiretroviral Choice for HIV Impacts Antimalarial Exposure and Treatment Outcomes in Ugandan Children. Clin Infect Dis. 2016 08 01; 63(3):414-22.
Nyunt MM, Nguyen VK, Kajubi R, Huang L, Ssebuliba J, Kiconco S, Mwima MW, Achan J, Aweeka F, Parikh S, Mwebaza N. Artemether-Lumefantrine Pharmacokinetics and Clinical Response Are Minimally Altered in Pregnant Ugandan Women Treated for Uncomplicated Falciparum Malaria. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015 Dec 14; 60(3):1274-82.
Sundell K, Jagannathan P, Huang L, Bigira V, Kapisi J, Kakuru MM, Savic R, Kamya MR, Dorsey G, Aweeka F. Variable piperaquine exposure significantly impacts protective efficacy of monthly dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine for the prevention of malaria in Ugandan children. Malar J. 2015 Sep 24; 14:368.
Parikh S, Fehintola F, Huang L, Olson A, Adedeji WA, Darin KM, Morse GD, Murphy RL, Taiwo BO, Akinyinka OO, Adewole IF, Aweeka FT, Scarsi KK. Artemether-Lumefantrine Exposure in HIV-Infected Nigerian Subjects on Nevirapine-Containing Antiretroviral Therapy. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015 Dec; 59(12):7852-6.
WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network (WWARN) Lumefantrine PK/PD Study Group. Artemether-lumefantrine treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria: a systematic review and meta-analysis of day 7 lumefantrine concentrations and therapeutic response using individual patient data. BMC Med. 2015 Sep 18; 13:227.
Haagensen JA, Verotta D, Huang L, Spormann A, Yang K. New in vitro model to study the effect of human simulated antibiotic concentrations on bacterial biofilms. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015 Jul; 59(7):4074-81.
Kamya MR, Kapisi J, Bigira V, Clark TD, Kinara S, Mwangwa F, Muhindo MK, Kakuru A, Aweeka FT, Huang L, Jagannathan P, Achan J, Havlir DV, Rosenthal PJ, Dorsey G. Efficacy and safety of three regimens for the prevention of malaria in young HIV-exposed Ugandan children: a randomized controlled trial. AIDS. 2014 Nov 28; 28(18):2701-9.
Aweeka FT, Hu C, Huang L, Best BM, Stek A, Lizak P, Burchett SK, Read JS, Watts H, Mirochnick M, Capparelli EV, International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Group (IMPAACT) P1026s Protocol Tea. Alteration in cytochrome P450 3A4 activity as measured by a urine cortisol assay in HIV-1-infected pregnant women and relationship to antiretroviral pharmacokinetics. HIV Med. 2015 Mar; 16(3):176-83.
Bigira V, Kapisi J, Clark TD, Kinara S, Mwangwa F, Muhindo MK, Osterbauer B, Aweeka FT, Huang L, Achan J, Havlir DV, Rosenthal PJ, Kamya MR, Dorsey G. Protective efficacy and safety of three antimalarial regimens for the prevention of malaria in young Ugandan children: a randomized controlled trial. PLoS Med. 2014 Aug; 11(8):e1001689.
Huang L, Haagensen J, Verotta D, Lizak P, Aweeka F, Yang K. Determination of meropenem in bacterial media by LC-MS/MS. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2014 Jun 15; 961:71-6.
Huang L, Lizak P, Dvorak CC, Aweeka F, Long-Boyle J. Simultaneous determination of fludarabine and clofarabine in human plasma by LC-MS/MS. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2014 Jun 01; 960:194-9.
Janel Long-Boyle, Nancy Sambol, Christopher C. Dvorak, Morton J. Cowan, Shirley Lee, Liusheng Huang, Biljana Horn, Melisa Stricherz, Jakub Tolar, Paul Orchard, Pamala Jacobson, Francesca Aweeka. Plasma and Intracellular Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Fludarabine in Pediatric Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant (alloHCT) Recipients. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2014 Feb 1; 20(2):s30.
Kjellin LL, Dorsey G, Rosenthal PJ, Aweeka F, Huang L. Determination of the antimalarial drug piperaquine in small volume pediatric plasma samples by LC-MS/MS. Bioanalysis. 2014; 6(23):3081-9.
Huang L, Lizak P, Aweeka F, Long-Boyle J. Determination of intracellular fludarabine triphosphate in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by LC-MS/MS. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2013 Dec; 86:198-203.
Huang L, Olson A, Gingrich D, Aweeka FT. Determination of artemether and dihydroartemisinin in human plasma with a new hydrogen peroxide stabilization method. Bioanalysis. 2013 Jun; 5(12):1501-6.
Liu L, Wang L, Huang L, Siu V, Teque F, Aweeka FT, Levy JA. Nevirapine inhibits the anti-HIV activity of CD8+ cells. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2013 Jun 01; 63(2):184-8.
Gwaza L, Aweeka F, Greenblatt R, Lizak P, Huang L, Guglielmo BJ. Co-administration of a commonly used Zimbabwean herbal treatment (African potato) does not alter the pharmacokinetics of lopinavir/ritonavir. Int J Infect Dis. 2013 Oct; 17(10):e857-61.
Huang L, Parikh S, Rosenthal PJ, Lizak P, Marzan F, Dorsey G, Havlir D, Aweeka FT. Concomitant efavirenz reduces pharmacokinetic exposure to the antimalarial drug artemether-lumefantrine in healthy volunteers. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2012 Nov 01; 61(3):310-6.
Lee TM, Huang L, Johnson MK, Lizak P, Kroetz D, Aweeka F, Parikh S. In vitro metabolism of piperaquine is primarily mediated by CYP3A4. Xenobiotica. 2012 Nov; 42(11):1088-95.
Huang L, Li X, Marzan F, Lizak PS, Aweeka FT. Determination of lumefantrine in small-volume human plasma by LC-MS/MS: using a deuterated lumefantrine to overcome matrix effect and ionization saturation. Bioanalysis. 2012 Jan; 4(2):157-66.
Janel R Long-Boyle, Shirley Yan, Christopher C. Dvorak, Biljana N. Horn, Morton Jerome Cowan, Liusheng Huang, Nancy Sambol, Lisa Musick, Francesca Aweeka. An Interim Evaluation of Systemic F-Ara-a Exposure in Pediatric Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant (alloHCT) Recipients Using An Optimal Sampling Design. Blood. 2011 Nov 18; 118(21):1962-1962.
Huang L, Lizak PS, Jayewardene AL, Marzan F, Lee MN, Aweeka FT. A modified method for determination of lumefantrine in human plasma by HPLC-UV and combination of protein precipitation and solid-phase extraction: application to a pharmacokinetic study. Anal Chem Insights. 2010 Mar 29; 5:15-23.
Huang L, Jayewardene AL, Li X, Marzan F, Lizak PS, Aweeka FT. Development and validation of a high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of artemether and its active metabolite dihydroartemisinin in human plasma. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2009 Dec 05; 50(5):959-65.
Huang L, Marzan F, Jayewardene AL, Lizak PS, Li X, Aweeka FT. Development and validation of a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for determination of isoniazid in human plasma. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2009 Jan 15; 877(3):285-90.
Huang L, Ortiz de Montellano PR. Arthromyces ramosus peroxidase produces two chlorinating species. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 Apr 06; 355(2):581-6.
Huang L, Fernández C, Kerns RJ. Different protein-binding selectivities for N-acyl heparin derivatives having N-phenylacetyl and heterocycle analogs of N-phenylacetyl substituted in place of N-sulfo groups. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2007 Jan 15; 17(2):419-23.
Huang L, Wojciechowski G, Ortiz de Montellano PR. Role of heme-protein covalent bonds in mammalian peroxidases. Protection of the heme by a single engineered heme-protein link in horseradish peroxidase. J Biol Chem. 2006 Jul 14; 281(28):18983-8.
Huang L, Ortiz de Montellano PR. Heme-protein covalent bonds in peroxidases and resistance to heme modification during halide oxidation. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2006 Feb 01; 446(1):77-83.
Huang L, Kerns RJ. Diversity-oriented chemical modification of heparin: Identification of charge-reduced N-acyl heparin derivatives having increased selectivity for heparin-binding proteins. Bioorg Med Chem. 2006 Apr 01; 14(7):2300-13.
Wojciechowski G, Huang L, Ortiz de Montellano PR. Autocatalytic modification of the prosthetic heme of horseradish but not lactoperoxidase by thiocyanate oxidation products. A role for heme-protein covalent cross-linking. J Am Chem Soc. 2005 Nov 16; 127(45):15871-9.
Huang L, Wojciechowski G, Ortiz de Montellano PR. Prosthetic heme modification during halide ion oxidation. Demonstration of chloride oxidation by horseradish peroxidase. J Am Chem Soc. 2005 Apr 20; 127(15):5345-53.
Huang L, Colas C, Ortiz de Montellano PR. Oxidation of carboxylic acids by horseradish peroxidase results in prosthetic heme modification and inactivation. J Am Chem Soc. 2004 Oct 13; 126(40):12865-73.
Wang J, Niemevz F, Lad L, Huang L, Alvarez DE, Buldain G, Poulos TL, de Montellano PR. Human heme oxygenase oxidation of 5- and 15-phenylhemes. J Biol Chem. 2004 Oct 08; 279(41):42593-604.
Huang L, Tao G, Li L, Chi H.. Computer-aided molecular design of HIV-1 protease dissociative inhibitors. Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica (YaoXueXueBao). 1999; (5):353-357.
Huang L, Yang H.. Method for determination of total mercury in foods by atomic fluorescence spectrometry. J. Chinese Food Hygiene. 1997; (1):3-5.
Yang H, Zou Z, Jin C, Yi F, Liang C, Xu X, Wang X, Huang, L. Monitoring of lead content in foodstuff in China. J. Chinese Preventive Medicine. 1995; 29:96-98.
Yang H, Huang L, Xie B.. Study on the tolerance limit for nitrite in Chinese foods. Hygiene Research. 1995; 24:176-178.
Yang H, Zou Z, Jin C, Gu W, Liang C, Yi F, Xie B, Huang, L.. A study on cadmium content in foods of six provinces and cities. J. Chinese Prenentive Medicine. 1994; 28:6-8.
Yang H, Han Y, Huang L.. Survey of mercury contamination of food in some areas of China. J. Hygiene Research. 1994; 23:95-96.