Skip to content

Jessica Beers

Education:

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Washington School of Pharmacy
  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy

Biography:
Dr. Beers is an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Washington. Dr. Beers is passionate about drug safety in understudied populations, and her past research has focused on precision medicine, drug-induced liver injury, and using in vitro systems to predict drug metabolism and toxicity. Dr. Beers’ current work combines basic and translational research to investigate drug metabolism and disposition in pregnancy and lactation.

Publications: NIH

Samuel Arnold

Accepting Students to Lab: Yes

Education

  • Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, University of Colorado
  • Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics, University of Washington

Research Interests

  • Infectious Diseases, Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling for treatment of enteric infections
  • Enteric disease induced changes in drug disposition
  • Improved preclinical models of drug disposition in the GI

Courses Taught

  • PCEUT531
  • PCEUT532
  • PCEUT506

Biography

Dr. Samuel Arnold joined the Department of Pharmaceutics at the University of Washington as an Assistant Professor in 2023, and his research predominantly focuses on characterizing exposure-response relationships for therapeutic treatment of infectious diarrhea. While there has been a substantial reduction in diarrhea associated mortality over the past decade, diarrheal diseases continue to be a major global health concern (second leading cause of death in children < 5 years old). The remarkable reduction in disease burden can be attributed to many factors, and this includes vaccine rollout for rotavirus. However, with a reduction in rotavirus infections, there has been a concurrent increase in the proportion of diarrheal diseases attributed to other etiological agents of disease (e.g., Cryptosporidium and Shigella). Dr. Arnold’s work includes the development of in vitro and in vivo models for cryptosporidiosis and shigellosis. As a member of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Cryptosporidium Drug Accelerator (CryptoDA), Dr. Arnold led a successful effort to identify pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationships for anti-cryptosporidiosis drugs. Due to the gastrointestinal localization of the pathogen, this work required a non-traditional experimental approach to identify exposure-response relationships. In addition, Dr. Arnold provided clinical pharmacology support for an anti-cryptosporidiosis clinical trial in Malawi (Clinicaltrials.gov #NCT03341767) that investigated clofazimine as a potential anti-cryptosporidiosis treatment. Subsequent analysis of the data from this trial has demonstrated that a participant’s diarrheal status is associated with therapeutic exposure. Based on these results, the Arnold lab is working on the development of pharmacokinetic models that can predict the impact of diarrhea on drug exposure prior to human dosing.

Selected Publications

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/samuel.arnold.1/bibliography/public/

 

 

Continue reading “Samuel Arnold”

Catherine Yeung

Education

  • PharmD (University of Michigan)
  • PhD, Medicinal Chemistry (University of Washington)
  • MPH, Epidemiology (University of Washington)

Research Interests

  • Optimizing medication use in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
  • Microfluidic models of kidney function in health and disease
  • Effects of uremia on drug transport and pharmacokinetics
  • Effects of microgravity on kidney structure and function

Courses Taught

  • PHARM 560
  • PHARM 579
  • PHARM 301
  • PCEUT 586
  • PCEUT 506
  • PHARBE 522

Biography

Dr. Yeung’s research includes both basic science and translational studies, and spans from the determination of molecular mechanisms of altered drug metabolism using 3-dimensional cell culture techniques to the evaluation of the effect of drugs and nutritional supplements on health outcomes in patients receiving hemodialysis. She is a key investigator in the development of a “kidney on a chip” microphysiological system that can be used in preclinical drug development.

Selected Publications

  • Kidneys on Chips: Emerging Technology for Preclinical Drug Development (PMID: 30274990)
  • Human liver-kidney model elucidates the mechanisms of aristolochic acid nephrotoxicity (PMID: 29202460)
  • Does Secretory Clearance Follow Glomerular Filtration Rate in Chronic Kidney Diseases? Reconsidering the Intact Nephron Hypothesis (PMID: 28675584)
  • Effects of chronic kidney disease and uremia on hepatic drug metabolism and transport (PMID: 24132209)
  • Development of a microphysiological model of human kidney proximal tubule function (PMID: 27521113)

Kenneth Thummel

Education

  • B.S., Chemistry
  • Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Sciences

Research Interests

  • Drug metabolism kinetics
  • Intestinal first-pass metabolism
  • Mechanisms of inter-individual variability in metabolic drug clearance and drug response
  • Pharmacogenetics
  • Fat soluble vitamins and regulation of DMETs

Courses Taught

  • PCEUT 502
  • PCEUT 506
  • PCEUT 510
  • PCEUT 513
  • PCEUT 534
  • PCEUT 583
  • PCEUT 586
  • MEDCH 527

Biography

Kenneth Thummel received his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Science from the University of Washington in 1987 and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Pharmacology at the University of Connecticut Health Science Center. In 1989, he was appointed to the University of Washington School of Pharmacy faculty, promoted to the rank of Professor in 2001 and was Chairman of the Department of Pharmaceutics between 2006 – 2019. He currently holds the title of Professor of Pharmaceutics and is an Adjunct Professor in the UW Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences. Dr. Thummel’s research interests include the elucidation of genetic, hormonal and environmental factors that contribute to interindividual differences in xenobiotic biotransformation, in particular, intestinal cytochrome P450 3A-mediated first-pass drug metabolism, as well as gene x diet modifiers of drug response in Alaska Native and American Indian people. Dr. Thummel is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, and the recipient of the Rawls-Palmer Progress in Medicine Award from ASCPT. He is a Past-President of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Selected Publications

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Thummel+K

Danny Shen

Accepting Student to Lab: No

Education

  • PhD in Pharmaceutics, State University of New York at Buffalo
  • BA in Chemistry and Biology, Luther College

Research Interests

  • Opioid pharmacokinetics & pharmacodynamics
  • Pharmacokinetic modeling & simulations
  • Pharmacokinetics of herb-drug interactions

Courses Taught

  • PCEUT 505 Concepts in Pharmaceutical Sciences I
  • PCEUT 503 Drug Transport & Delivery
  • PCEUT 531 Pharmaceutical Formulation: Principles and Dosage Forms

Biography

Dr. Shen received his doctoral degree in pharmaceutics from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1975. He is currently Professor Emeritus of Pharmaceutics at the University of Washington. He was Chair of the Department of Pharmacy from 1999 to 2011. He also held a Member appointment in the Clinical Research Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center from 1973 to 2016. Prior to his joining the faculty at the University of Washington in 1984, he held faculty appointments at the University of Kansas Medical Center (1975-1979) and State University of New York at Buffalo (1979-1984). Dr. Shen is a Fellow of the AAPS, and is 2010 President of the Association. He is also a Past-Chair of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Section and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Dr. Shen is a member of the editorial advisory board for AAPS Journal, Pharmaceutical Research, and Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. He has served as advisor or consultant to NIH, FDA and pharmaceutical industry. Dr.

Shen has a broad range of research interests involving first-pass drug metabolism, drug transport in the central nervous system, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of opioid analgesics, and pharmacokinetics of herb-drug interactions. He has published over 200 journal articles, reviews and book chapters.

Selected Publications

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1PAALeBQPgL/bibliography/public/

Edward Kelly

Courses Taught:

  • PCEUT201
  • PCEUT502
  • PCEUT580
  • PCEUT586
  • PHG513

Education History:

BS, Biochemistry, UC-Riverside

MS, Biochemistry, UC-Riverside

PhD, Biochemistry, University of Washington

Biography: 

Dr. Kelly holds the rank of Professor at the University of Washington in the Department of Pharmaceutics (School of Pharmacy) and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (School of Public Health). He is also an Investigator in the Kidney Research Institute at the UW School of Medicine and serves as Co-Director of the Pharmaceutical Bioengineering Extension Program.

The focus of the Kelly lab is ex vivo modeling of human organ function and drug/toxin-induced injury.  This research utilizes 3D-microfluidic “organs on chips” or microphysiological systems (MPS) as an alternative to animal testing. Our scope of work includes using MPS technologies to model how the kidney responds to microgravity on the International Space Station, how environmental toxins may modulate chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu) and the effects of glomerular disease on proximal tubule function. He is also part of a consortium to qualify a kidney MPS for defined contexts of use.

Selected Publications:

  1. Arian CM, O’Mahony ET, Manwill PK, Graf TN, Oberlies NH, Cech NB, Clarke JD, Smith JG, Paine MF, Kelly EJ & Thummel KE. A gut response: Application of human enteroid monolayers to probe the mechanism of the goldenseal-mediated inhibition of metformin intestinal absorption. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpet.2025.103597 2025. PMID: 40403579
  2. Tsang YP, Aryeh KS, Wang K, Himmelfarb J, Yeung CK & Kelly EJ*. Enhancing therapeutic strategies and drug development for patients with kidney disease. Expert Opinion on Drug Safety https://doi.org/10.1080/14740338.2025.2525970  2025. PMID: 40568828
  3. Hansen BC, Arian CM, Zeng Y, Takezawa MG, Theberge AB, Faustman EM, Thummel KE & Kelly EJ*. Leveraging RNA-seq deconvolution to improve complex in vitro model characterization. Journal of Biological Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2025.110510 2025. PMID: 40701251
  4. O’Mahony ET, Arian CM, Aryeh KS, Wang K, Thummel KE & Kelly EJ*. Human intestinal enteroids: nonclinical applications for predicting oral drug disposition, toxicity and efficacy. Pharmacology and Therapeutics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2025.108879 2025. PMID: 40398537
  5. Hansen BC, Aryeh KS, Lindell LX, Lau GK, Nicholson TM, Faustman EM & Kelly EJ*. In vitro models of the male reproductive system: applications for developmental and reproductive toxicology. Toxicological Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfaf132 2025. PMID: 41002216
  6. Mahadeo A, Tsang YP, Zheng AR, Arnzen S, Rodriguez AG, Warren MS, G?borik Z & Kelly EJ*. Human OAT1, OAT3, OAT4 and OATP1A2 Facilitate the Renal Accumulation of Ochratoxin A. Pharmaceutics. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17111474 2025. PMID: 41304811
  7. Mahadeo A, Bammler TK, MacDonald J, Zheng AR, Yeung CK, Himmelfarb J & Kelly EJ*. Pervasive food contaminant ochratoxin-A induces energy crisis: Mitochondrial dysfunction in human primary proximal tubule cells. Toxicology Reports. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxrep.2025.102169  2025. PMID: 41341619
  8. Jones-Isaac K, Yeung CK, Bain J, Lidberg K, Yang J, Wang L, MacDonald J, Bammler T, Thummel KE, Corn M, Ruiz MV, Countryman S, Koenig P, Mann HH, Himmelfarb J & Kelly EJ*. Effect of calcium oxalate microcrystals on kidney proximal tubule epithelial cell gene expression in microgravity. npj Microgravity. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-025-00543-3 2025. PMID: 41381544
  9. Wang K, Tsang YP, Thummel KE, Kelly EJ, Mao Q & Unadkat JD. Effect of proinflammatory cytokines on intestinal drug transporters in human enteroid monolayers. Drug Metabolism and Disposition. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dmd.2025.100208 2025. PMID: 41418738