Clinical Pharmacology

PHARMACOGENETICS / PHARMACOGENOMICS

Pharmacogenetics is the study of how the genes in our body determine the response that we experience to drug therapy. Our research focuses particularly on how mutations in the genes responsible for drug metabolism, transport of drugs in and out of cells and for drug effect (receptors and transduction elements) at a particular site in the body can explain whether or not a drug treatment is effective, or whether side-effects are more likely. To investigate this we use molecular biology techniques, which allow us to identify specific gene mutations and relate these to drug response, a term called pharmacogenomics. This knowledge will aid in our understanding of why different people vary in their response to a drug and therefore, eventually lead us to better treatment strategies.

Researchers:

Professor Andrew Somogyi
Dr Janet Coller

Projects:

• Role of transporters in opioid effects - Dr Janet Coller
• Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacogenetics of opioid receptors - Professor Andrew Somogyi, Dr Janet Coller

Specific Projects are:

1. Allelic variants in the coding and noncoding regions of the mu opioid receptor and the response to morphine in cancer pain.
   • people Andrew Somogyi
     
2. Cloning and expression of polymorphic forms of the mu opioid receptor.
   • people Andrew Somogyi
     
3. Role of the splice variants in mu opioid receptor pharmacology.
   • people Andrew Somogyi
     
4. Transporters
   • people Janet Coller