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Ashim K. Mitra, Ph.D.
University of Missouri Curators’ Professor |
Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of Kansas, 1983
M.S., Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kansas, 1980
M.S., Pharmaceutics, Jadavpur University, Calcutta, India, 1976
B.S., Pharmacy, Jadavpur University, Calcutta, India, 1974
Faculty member of Purdue University for 10 years before joining the University
of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy in 1994.
Research Interests:
Research interest can be categorized into two main areas: delivery and targeting of antiviral agents and development of noninvasive delivery systems for peptides and protein; serves on several National Institutes of Health Study Sections including AIDS and Related Research; editor of a book on "Ophthalmic Drug Delivery Systems" and a journal series on "Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews.
In the area of antiviral drug delivery and targeting, work is in progress relative to retinal drug transport, metabolism and targeting of anticytomegalorivus agents like ganciclovir, cidofovir and foscarnet. A new ocular microdialysis technique has been employed for continuous vitreal sampling. Research is also being conducted to improved oral absorption of anti-AIDS agents like cosalane through prodrug modification.
The other major research area of interest is the noninvasive delivery of peptides and proteins like calcitonin, insulin, human growth hormone, fibroblast growth factors pulmonary, nasal and buccal routes of delivery are being investigated. Poor mucosal permeability and rapid protease mediated degradation are the two major barriers to protein delivery. Prodrug modification, protease inhibition and various other approaches have been taken to improve protein absorption.
Research Objectives:
The long term research goal is focussed on two primary areas (1) Ocular Disposition, Metabolism and Delivery of Antiviral Agents and (2) Nasal and Pulmonary Delivery of Macromolecules i.e., Proteins and Antisense Oligonucleotides.
1) Ocular Disposition, Metabolism and Delivery of Anti-viral Agents.
This research has been supported by two R01 NIH grants, Chiron Vision Corporation and Allergan Pharmaceuticals. For the first time an implantable microdialysis probe has been used repeatedly over a long period of time in the same eye of the rabbit to obtain entire pharmacokinetic profiles of the drugs in the vitreous and aqueous chambers. This technique has allowed us to perform precise blood-retinal transport, vitreal elimination and melanin binding studies in-vivo in the same animal for the first time. As a result, animal use has been reduced considerably, from hundreds to only six per compound and since each animal serves as its own control, intersubject variability is very minimal.
2) Nasal and Pulmonary Delivery of Macromoleculars i.e., Proteins and Oligonucleotides.
This is another major area of research currently being supported by Hoechst Marion Roussel and R.W. Johnson Research Alveolar transport proteins have been identified. These membrane proteins in presence of phospholipid, lectin, cause rapid transcytosis of the protein and oligonucleotide drugs across the alveolar epithelium.
Covalent attachment of poorly permeable antiviral drugs to amino acids in a special manner can achieve rapid and significantly higher absorption across the nasal mucosa.
Research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, Hoechst Marion Roussel, Chiron and a number of other organizations.
Refer to CV for a current listing of
EXTRAMURAL FUNDING and PUBLICATIONS (refereed articles and books).
For more information about the Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, send a
message to:
Y. Joyce Johnson-Adair, Administrative Assistant
at the address listed
above (Room 108) or send an email message to:
johnsony@umkc.edu
Last update was 14 December 2006
UMKC School of Pharmacy - Pharmaceutical Sciences, johnsony@umkc.edu