Pharmacogenomics

The term “pharmacogenomics” is used to describe the branch of pharmacology that deals with the general study of how different genes variants may determine drug behavior in different individuals. Eventually drug labeling will include adverse reactions and dosing recommendations based on genomic differences. Most data regarding adverse events, differences in effectiveness, and dosing are found after the drugs have been on the market. It is hoped that genomic information on subjects during early drug development will allow for discovery of genomic differences that can improve the effectiveness and safety of drugs, and in turn, how drugs are prescribed and marketed.

Our group is currently looking at genotype information from DMET for NCI 60 cell lines with information from public databases (for example PharmGKB) to find gene variants associated with drug response and disease.

This project is part of the Georgetown Center for Excellence in Regulatory Science Innovation (CERSI) program funded by the FDA. A primary goal of the GU CERSI is to help the FDA in their mission of incorporating genomics information into drug development and regulatory review processes.