My research is focused on the area of pharmacokinetic (PK), pharmacodynamic (PD), and pharmacogenetic (PG)  modeling and simulation using traditional PK compartmental models and physiologically based PK models (PBPK). I employ non-linear mixed-effect (NLME) statistical techniques to develop population level models.

My primary area of interest is cannabinoid pharmacology, specifically elucidating the PK and PD of delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinol (D9-THC)  and its two major metabolites hydroxy-THC (THC-OH)  and carboxy-THC (THC-COOH) in man. I have published the first PBPKPG model of D9-THC and metabolites that confirmed a polymorphic effect on D9-THC disposition. This model was informed by a data set of twenty-five healthy volunteers who received 0.1 mg/kg D9-THC intravenously and provided 975 plasma concentrations of D9-THC and metabolites obtained via collaboration with a group from Bern Swiss.(1) This data set also contains physiologic data (heart rate and blood pressure) and psychological effect data. I am currently developing a PKPDPG model of  the effect of D9-THC on heart rate using NLME compartmental PK/PG and the general pharmacodynamic drug interaction model (GPDI) with isobole and response surface analysis. This model will be presented as a poster or a platform at the International Society of Pharmacometrics meeting in the fall of 2023. I will then begin modeling the psychological effect data from this data set.

I am also interested in renal replacement nephrology, specifically using PK modeling to describe continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) to inform dosing regimens in this population. I have recently developed a new model of CAPD that can describe both plasma and peritoneal drug concentrations of aminoglycosides using only four differential equations, whereas the existing models use up to nine differentials. This model will be presented at a nephrology meeting in Fall of 2023. This model can be extended to other drugs used in the renal replacement population. I also have plans to develop a PBPK version of this model to allow tubular secretion and reabsorption mechanisms to be further elucidated.

My research also supports fellow investigators. In my career to date, I have performed statistical analysis of data in various subjects: Kaplan-Meir survival analysis of COVID interventions, probability of target attainment infectious disease antibiotic modeling using Monte-Carlo simulation and most recently principal component analysis of substance abuse education survey data. I will continue to provide this type of support when needed.