Clinical studies have been directed toward optimizing therapeutic response by using pharmacokinetics to individualize dosing regimens. This research involves fundamental studies to assess kinetics of drug transport across the intestinal barrier and examine methods of enhancing intestinal drug permeability. The laboratory is also attempting to identify ways of reducing metabolic loss of drug during its absorptive entry into the body. A major research focus in Dr. Sawchuk's group is the investigation of drug delivery to the central nervous system. One goal of this work is to enhance the distribution of centrally acting agents to the brain.
Ongoing research involves the targeting of antiviral compounds to brain tissue.
An area of emphasis here is the study of transport modulators to alter the distribution of such agents across the blood-brain barrier. Similar studies are also being undertaken to examine factors that affect access of other agents to the central nervous system, and the delivery of antibiotics to middle ear fluid in the development of agents for the treatment of otitis media. Because of the reliance of pharmacokinetic studies on availability of sensitive and specific methods for analysis of drugs in biological fluids, significant time and effort is devoted to development of analytical methods. Dr. Sawchuk directs Bioanalytic and Pharmacokinetic Services, a GLP research services facility within the Department of Pharmaceutics. This laboratory interacts with the pharmaceutical industry in the conduct of preclinical and clinical studies on new chemical entities and existing drugs.