Faculty and Staff

Hamid I. Akbarali, Ph.D.
Gladys and Harvey Haag Professor

Hamid I. Akbarali, Ph.D.
Gladys and Harvey Haag Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Gladys and Harvey Haag Professor,
Vice Chair and Director, Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training
Director, VCU Initiative for Maximizing Student Development
Phone: (804) 828-9688
Email: hamid.akbarali@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
McGuire Hall, Room 100E
1112 East Clay Street
Box 980524
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0524

Robert L. Balster, Ph.D.
Butler Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology

Robert L. Balster, Ph.D.
Butler Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Butler Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Affiliate Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry
Phone: (804) 828-8402
Email: robert.balster@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
410 North 12th Street
R. Blackwell Smith Building Room 746A
Box 980310
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0316

Matthew L. Banks, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

Matthew L. Banks, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-8466
Email: matthew.banks@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Robert Blackwell Smith Building, Room 760A
410 North 12th Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia 23298

Patrick M. Beardsley, Ph.D.
Professor

Patrick M. Beardsley, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-5185
Fax: (804) 828-2117
Email: patrick.beardsley@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Robert Blackwell Smith Building, Room 756B
410 North 12th Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia 23298

Jill C. Bettinger, Ph.D.
Professor

Jill C. Bettinger, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-2072
Email: jill.bettinger@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Molecular Medicine Research Building, Room 3034
1220 East Broad Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia

Darlene H. Brunzell, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

Darlene H. Brunzell, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 628-7584
Fax: (804) 828-2117
Email: darlene.brunzell@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
410 North 12th Street
R. Blackwell Smith Building Room 738
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0613

M. Imad Damaj, Ph.D.
Professor

M. Imad Damaj, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-1676
Email: m.damaj@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Molecular Medicine Research Building Room 3044
1220 East Broad Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia

Andrew G. Davies, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Andrew G. Davies, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-2068
Fax: (804) 828-2117
Email: andrew.davies@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Molecular Medicine Research Building, Room 3036
1220 East Broad Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia

William L. Dewey, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair

William L. Dewey, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 827-0375
Email: william.dewey@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
McGuire Hall, Room 100C
1112 East Clay Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0613

David A. Gewirtz, Ph.D.
Professor

David A. Gewirtz, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-9523
Fax: (804) 827-1134
Email: david.gewirtz@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Massey Cancer Center
401 College Street
Goodwin Research Laboratories, Room 321
Box 980035
Richmond,

Kurt F. Hauser, Ph.D.
Professor

Kurt F. Hauser, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 628-7579
Fax: (804) 828-0676
Email: kurt.hauser@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Hermes A. Kontos Building, Room 439
1217 East Marshall Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia 23298-06

Edward J.N. Ishac, Ph.D.
Professor

Edward J.N. Ishac, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Portrait Dr Edward JN Ishac, Ph.D.
Phone: (804) 828-2127
Fax: (828) 828-2117
Email: edward.ishac@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Robert Blackwell Smith Building
410 North 12th Street,
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0613

Lankupalle D. Jayanthi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

Lankupalle D. Jayanthi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-2067
Fax: 804-827-0377
Email: lankupalle.jayanthi@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Smith Building, Room 740
410 North 12th Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia 23219-0613

Ningjun Li, M.D.
Professor

Ningjun Li, M.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-2071
Fax: (804) 828-2117
Email: ningjun.li@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Molecular Medicine Research Building, Room 3046
1220 East Broad Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia

Pin-Lan Li, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Vice Chair

Pin-Lan Li, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Vice Chair
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Director for Hypertension and Kidney Research
Arthur and Margaret Glasgow Chair
Phone: (804) 828-4793
Fax: (804) 828-2117
Email: pin-lan.li@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Molecular Medicine Research Building, Room 3050
1220 East Broad Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia

Aron H. Lichtman, Ph.D.
Professor

Aron H. Lichtman, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-8480
Email: aron.lichtman@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Molecular Medicine Research Building, Room 3042
1220 East Broad Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia
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Laura Mathies, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
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Laura Mathies, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-8397
Email: laura.mathies@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Molecular Medicine Research Building, Room 3038
1220 East Broad Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia

Michael F. Miles, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor

Michael F. Miles, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 827-4054
Fax: (804) 828-6432
Email: michael.miles@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Molecular Medicine Research Building, Room 6036
1220 East Broad Street
Box 980599
Richmond, Virginia

F. Gerard Moeller, M.D.
Professor

F. Gerard Moeller, M.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-4134
Email: frederick.moeller@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
203 East Cary Street, Suite 202
Richmond, Virginia 23219

S. Stevens Negus, Ph.D.
Professor

S. Stevens Negus, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-3158
Fax: (804) 828-2117
Email: sidney.negus@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Robert Blackwell Smith Building, Room 760B
410 North 12th Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia 23298

Katherine L. Nicholson, Ph.D., D.V.M.
Associate Professor

Katherine L. Nicholson, Ph.D., D.V.M.
Associate Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-6090
Email: katherine.nicholson@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Robert Blackwell Smith Building, Room 734
410 North 12th Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia 23298

Charles O’Keeffe, M.B.A.
Professor

Charles O’Keeffe, M.B.A.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-6246
Email: charles.okeeffe@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
McGuire Hall, Room 100C
1112 East Clay Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0613

Sammanda Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
Professor

Sammanda Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-8407
Fax: (804) 827-0377
Email: sammanda.ramamoorthy@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Robert Blackwell Smith Building, Room 758A
410 North Clay Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia 23298

Joseph K. Ritter, Ph.D.
Professor

Joseph K. Ritter, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-1022
Fax: (804) 828-0676
Email: joseph.ritter@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Hermes A. Kontos Building, Room 531
1217 East Marshall Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia 23298-06

Joel E. Schlosburg, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Joel E. Schlosburg, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 628-7646
Email: Joel.Schlosburg@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Molecular Medicine Research Building, Room 3040
1220 East Broad Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia

Said M. Sebti, Ph.D.
Professor

Said M. Sebti, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828 6995
Email: said.sebti@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Massey Cancer Center 401 College Street Goodwin Research Laboratories, Room 325

Dana E. Selley, Ph.D.
Professor

Dana E. Selley, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 827-0463
Email: dana.selley@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
McGuire Hall Annex, Room 328
1112 East Clay Street
Box 980524
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0524

Keith L. Shelton, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

Keith L. Shelton, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 827-2104
Fax: (804) 828-2117
Email: keith.shelton@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Robert Blackwell Smith Building, Room 760D
410 North 12th Street
Box 980613
Richmond, Virginia 23298

Laura J. Sim-Selley, Ph.D.
Professor

Laura J. Sim-Selley, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 827-0464
Email: laura.sim-selley@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
McGuire Hall, Room 303
1112 East Clay Street
Box 980524
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0524

Elizabeth Eustis Turf, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

Elizabeth Eustis Turf, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804) 828-1797
Fax: (804) 828-1532
Email: elizabeth.eustisturf@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
1000 East Clay Street
Box 980524
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0524

D. Matthew Walentiny, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

D. Matthew Walentiny, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Phone: (804)828-8445
Email: David.Walentiny@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Kontos Medical Science Building, Room 313
1217 E Marshall Street
Box 980613
Richmond, VA 23298-0613

Jennifer Wolstenholme, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Jennifer Wolstenholme, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Director, Rodent Behavioral Core
VCU Alcohol Research Center
Phone: (804) 828-4353
Email: jennifer.wolstenholme@vcuhealth.org
Address/Location:
Kontos Medical Sciences Building, Room 631
1217 E. Marshall Street
Richmond, Virginia 23298
Current Postdoctoral Fellows

Ashfaq Ahmad
Mentor: Dr. Joseph Ritter

Ashfaq Ahmad
Mentor: Dr. Joseph Ritter
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "Renomedllary metabolism of anandamide and blood pressure regulation"

Owais Bhat
Mentor: Dr. Pin-Lan Li

Owais Bhat
Mentor: Dr. Pin-Lan Li
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "Lysosomal AC-mediated sphingolipid metabolism plays a key role in the control of lysosome trafficking or fusion to multivesicular bodies (MVBs) and subsequent exosome excretion maintaining the normal phenotype and function of SMCs"
Giulia Donvito
Mentor: Dr. Aron Lichtman
Giulia Donvito
Mentor: Dr. Aron Lichtman
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "Investigating and validation of new therapeutic targets for the treatment of pain within and outside the endogenous cannabinoid system"

Gaizun Hu
Mentor: Dr. Ningjun Li

Gaizun Hu
Mentor: Dr. Ningjun Li
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title:

Ginny McLane
Mentor: Dr. Kurt Hauser

Ginny McLane
Mentor: Dr. Kurt Hauser
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "Opiate and HIV-induced neuropathogenesis in hippocampus: impact on excitatory/inhibitory dysregulation"

Xinxu Yuan
Mentor: Dr. Pin-Lan Li

Xinxu Yuan
Mentor: Dr. Pin-Lan Li
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "Ceramide contributes smooth muscel cell exosome release"

Lesley Schurman
Mentor: Dr. Imad Damaj

Lesley Schurman
Mentor: Dr. Imad Damaj
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "Endocannabinoid modulation of learning and memory"

Arianna Lark
Mentor: Dr. Kurt Hauser

Arianna Lark
Mentor: Dr. Kurt Hauser
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "Regional differences in glial mediated HIV-1 Tat and opiate induced inflammation and injury"

Dan-Dan Huang
Mentor: Dr. Pin-Lan Li

Dan-Dan Huang
Mentor: Dr. Pin-Lan Li
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "Contribution of Lysosome Dysfunction and Enhanced Exosome Release to Hcy-Induced Glomerular Injury in Podocyte-Specific ASM Transgenic Mice."

Edward Townsend
Mentor: Dr. Matthew Banks

Edward Townsend
Mentor: Dr. Matthew Banks
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "Immunoantagonist effects on opioid choice"

Esad Ulker
Mentor: Dr. Imad Damaj

Esad Ulker
Mentor: Dr. Imad Damaj
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "Pharmacological Assessment of New Outcome Measures in Pain Models"

Guangbi "George" Li
Mentor: Dr. Pin-Lan Li

Guangbi "George" Li
Mentor: Dr. Pin-Lan Li
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "Podocyte-Specific Deletion of Asah1 Gene Produced Podocytopathy Without Sclerotic Pathology: A Potential Mouse Model for Steroid-Insensitive Minimal Change Disease"

Jonathan Lindsay
Mentor: Dr. Jill Bettinger

Jonathan Lindsay
Mentor: Dr. Jill Bettinger
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "State dependent learning in C. elegans"

Martial Caillaud
Mentor: Dr. Imad Damaj

Martial Caillaud
Mentor: Dr. Imad Damaj
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha agonists as potential treatment for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy"

Sara Nass
Mentor: Dr. Kurt Hauser

Sara Nass
Mentor: Dr. Kurt Hauser
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "The effects of HIV-1 Tat on cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical circuitry and associated behaviors"

Jane Roberts
Mentor: Dr. Imad Damaj

Jane Roberts
Mentor: Dr. Imad Damaj
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title:

Wisam Toma
Mentor: Dr. Imad Damaj

Wisam Toma
Mentor: Dr. Imad Damaj
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Title: "Investigating the role of α7 nAChRs in paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy in mice"

Nipa Patel
Degree: PhD

Nipa Patel
Degree: PhD
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. David Gewirtz

Valerie Carpenter
Degree: PhD

Valerie Carpenter
Degree: PhD
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. David Gewirtz

Clare Diester
Degree: PhD

Clare Diester
Degree: PhD
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. Sidney S. Negus

Julien Dodu
Degree: PhD

Julien Dodu
Degree: PhD
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. Aron Lichtman

Rosamond Goodson
Degree: PhD

Rosamond Goodson
Degree: PhD
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. Joel Schlosburg

Christina Lee
Degree: M.S.

Christina Lee
Degree: M.S.
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. David Gewirtz

Urszula Warncke
Degree: PhD.

Urszula Warncke
Degree: PhD.
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. Imad Damaj

Fereshteh Ahmadinejad
Degree: PhD

Fereshteh Ahmadinejad
Degree: PhD
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. David Gewirtz

Lois Akinola
Degree: PhD

Lois Akinola
Degree: PhD
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. M. Imad Damaj

Maria Bent
Degree: Ph.D.

Maria Bent
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr.Jennifer Wolstenholme

Emily Brocato
Degree: Ph.D.

Emily Brocato
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. Jennifer Wolstenholme

Katherine Contreras
Degree: M.S.

Katherine Contreras
Degree: M.S.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. Imad Damaj

Jayden Elmer
Degree: M.S.

Jayden Elmer
Degree: M.S.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. Aron Lichtman

Ryan Finnegan
Degree: Ph.D.

Ryan Finnegan
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. David Gewirtz

Donald Jessup
Degree: Ph.D.

Donald Jessup
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. Hamid Akbarali

Michael Marone
Degree: Ph.D.

Michael Marone
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. Kurt Hauser

Lauren Moncayo
Degree: Ph.D.

Lauren Moncayo
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. Aron Lichtman

Nima Nassehi
Degree: Ph.D.

Nima Nassehi
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. Dana Selley

Edna Santos
Degree: Ph.D.

Edna Santos
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. Steve Negus

Yasmin Alkhlaif
Degree: Ph.D.

Yasmin Alkhlaif
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. M. Imad Damaj

Chaoling (Linda) Chen
Degree: Ph.D.

Chaoling (Linda) Chen
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. N. Li

Harrison Elder
Degree: Ph.D.

Harrison Elder
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. P. Beardsley

Kennedy Goldsborough
Degree: Ph.D.

Kennedy Goldsborough
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. A. Lichtman

Samantha Gottlieb
Degree: Ph.D. Neuroscience

Samantha Gottlieb
Degree: Ph.D. Neuroscience
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. M. Miles

Luke Huggins
Degree: Ph.D.

Luke Huggins
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. S. Ramamoorthy

Alaina Jaster
Degree: Ph.D.

Alaina Jaster
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. Maeso

Kimberly Karin
Degree: Ph.D.

Kimberly Karin
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. A. Lichtman

Jyoti Lodha
Degree: Ph.D. Neuroscience

Jyoti Lodha
Degree: Ph.D. Neuroscience
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. J. Wolstenholme

Bryan McKiver
Degree: Ph.D.

Bryan McKiver
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. M.I. Damaj

Abby Pondelick
Degree: Ph.D.

Abby Pondelick
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. D. Selley

Hannah Robinson
Degree: Ph.D.

Hannah Robinson
Degree: Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. M. Banks

Zachary Tatom
Degree: Ph.D. Genetics

Zachary Tatom
Degree: Ph.D. Genetics
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. M. Miles

Sina Abdollahi
Degree: MS

Sina Abdollahi
Degree: MS
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Adviser: Dr. S. Ramamoorthy