The biochemical mechanisms underlying the hepatotoxicity of hydrazine are also of interest, particularly in relation to the metabolism of the compound and its effects on intermediary metabolism, especially lipid synthesis and transport and sulphur amino acid metabolism. The stereochemical aspects of drug metabolism and toxicology are also a major interest of the group. Over recent years the use of racemic mixtures of chiral drugs has become a significant issue for both the pharmaceutical industry and the regulatory authorities. The Drug Control Center The Drug Control Centre has a well established research programme, much of which uses a multi-disciplinary approach involving the fields of analytical techniques, pharmacy, endocrinology and metabolism. The Centre is well equipped with six gas chromatograph coupled mass spectrometers, a laser desorption mass spectrometer, four gas chromatographs, four high performance liquid chromatographs including one fully biocompatible instrument and a gamma radiation counter.
Most instruments have autosamplers and sophisticated computer control.
The Centre is also acquiring a mass spectrometer which can analyse samples under atmospheric conditions, enabling the use of techniques such as electrospray liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The scientific expertise of the staff together with the analytical tools available greatly facilitates biopharmaceutical substance identification. There are a number of areas of overlap between the academic staff. This is particularly the case in the projects associated with the biochemical pathways of sulphur containing amino acids, FMO mediated oxidation of nitrogen and sulphur containing compounds and the stereochemical aspects of drug metabolism and toxicology. A number of the projects either are, or will be, carried out as collaborative studies and students may well be supervised by more than one member of staff, depending on the nature of the project and the expertise required.