Chemistry and Physiological Systems Research Branch

- Mission
- Program Areas
- NIDA Drug Supply Program
- Program Announcements
- Contacts

The Chemistry and Physiological Systems Research Branch supports research on all aspects of chemistry and physiological systems affected by drugs of abuse.

This branch supports research programs on

• The effects of drugs on central nervous system and physiological systems, including those related to immune functions and AIDS
  
  
• The discovery of endogenous ligands, and the role of endogenous ligands and systems relevant to drug action, and addiction.
  
  
• The studies of absorption, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, elimination, transport and delivery
  
  
• Investigations on analytical methods development, proteomics, protein folding and related functional genomics and structural biology.
  
  
• Synthesis, structure-function relationships, conformational studies, structural biology, ligand design of all drugs abuse; synthesis of affinity reagents, chemical probes, drug-receptor interaction model to elucidate drug action
  
  
• Perinatal drug exposure and the effects of confounding factors, such as, maternal and environmental stress, nutrition etc, on neural systems and other organs using animal models and other cellular approaches
  
  
• Pharmacological aspects exposure to drugs of abuse in utero
  
  
• Research investigating the effects of drugs of abuse exposure on cardiovascular, pulmonary and other biological systems using in vivo and in vitro models
  
  

The NIDA Drug Supply Program is administered by the Chemistry & Physiological Systems Research Branch. In addition to funding research in drug abuse, addiction, prevention, and treatment, NIDA facilitates such research to accomplish its mission by providing chemicals and research probes that are either unavailable, difficult to obtain, or very expensive to buy to researchers. In addition, this program also provides analytical services for the analysis of researchers experimental samples.

For additional information contact Hari Singh, Ph.D. or Kevin Gormley

PAR-07-416: Developmental Pharmacology (R01)

PAS-07-327: Early Career Award in Chemistry of Drug Abuse and Addiction (ECHEM) - NIDA (R03)

PA-07-302: Application of Metabolomics for Translational and Biological Research (R21)

PA-07-301: Application of Metabolomics for Translational and Biological Research (R01)

PA-07-282: Mechanisms, Models, Measurement, & Management in Pain Research (R01)

NOT-DA-07-028: Notice of Intent to Publish a Program Announcement to Support Research by Newly Independent Chemistry Investigators for the Study of Drug Abuse and Addiction

PA-06-544: Mechanisms, Models, Measurement, & Management in Pain Research (R01)

PA-06-543: Mechanisms, Models, Measurement, & Management in Pain Research (R03)

PA-06-542: Mechanisms, Models, Measurement, & Management in Pain Research (R21)

PA-06-018: "Development of PET and SPECT Ligands for Brain Imaging (STTR [R41/R42])"

Division Contact Information

Rao S. Rapaka, Ph.D.
Chief
(301) 443-1887

Focuses on chemistry, drug design, peptides & proteomics, enzymology.

Paul S. Hillery, Ph.D.
Health Scientist Administrator
(301) 443-1887

Supports research in organic & medicinal chemistry, structural biology.

Hari H. Singh, Ph.D.
Health Scientist Administrator
(301) 443-1887

Focuses on peptide, medicinal, analytical chemistry, Drug supply and analytical services.

Vishnudutt Purohit, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Health Scientist Administrator
(301) 443-1887

Kevin Gormley
Drug Supply Program Coordinator
(301) 435-0264

Thomas Aigner, Ph.D.
Health Scientist Administrator
(301) 443-1887

Dr. Thomas Aigner received his doctorate in pharmacology in 1977 from the Medical College of Virginia. His thesis research, carried out in the lab of Dr. Robert Balster, investigated the rewarding properties of intravenously self-administered drugs of abuse in primates. Dr. Aigner continued those studies as a post-doctoral fellow in the lab of Dr. Charles Schuster at the University of Chicago. While still at Chicago, he expanded his research to examine mechanisms controlling cerebral and renal blood flow, for which he developed an early microcomputer-based data acquisition system for on-line blood flow data collection, storage, and statistical analysis. In 1982, Dr. Aigner moved to the Intramural Research Program at the National Institute of Mental Health where he was a Senior Staff Fellow in the Laboratory of Neuropsychology, directing a long-term research program studying the neuropharmacology and neurochemistry of memory and brain function in primates. He and his colleagues were among the first to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in primates, they developed the first nonferromagnetic stereotactic instrument for use with MRI for visualizing and targeting deep brain structures, and they were among the first to realize the potential of functional MRI. Dr. Aigner moved to the Division of Basic Neuroscience and Behavioral Research at NIDA in 1995, where he has been a Program Director with responsibilities for supporting research in the neurobiology of central nervous system actions of drugs of abuse with an emphasis on the application of state-of-the-art imaging technologies and the evolving field of nanomedicine. He has been the NIDA representative to the Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee of the Human Brain Project, the NIH Bioengineering Consortium, the Roadmap Implementation Committee for Nanomedicine, and the Blueprint for Neuroscience Research in Neuroimaging.